Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon Circus) started off 2019 just as he left off 2018, with dominance and two-wheel brilliance and extending his post-Koppenbergcross win streak to 15 wins.
At the 2019 GP Sven Nys in Baal, Belgium, Van der Poel defended his 2018 win, albeit in less muddy conditions than the epic 2018 race.
The Dutch wunderkind dispatched Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea) and Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice) to start 2019 undefeated.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing however. Van der Poel overcame a first lap crash, bike issues, a bike swap, and then required a rudder to avoid capsizing on his boat ride to victory:
Dude is simply amazing. Mind-blowing save from @mathieuvdpoel #GPSvenNys #cyclocross #MVDP pic.twitter.com/kN3Wfy0qXq
— Cycleboredom (@Cycleboredom) January 1, 2019
Three North Americans took the start, with Pan American champion Curtis White (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) finishing in 22nd, Canadian Cameron Jette in 27th and Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle / Groove Subaru) DNFing but enjoying camera time with Van der Poel after getting lapped.
Officials gave the top men a break with a short race, in case they were feeling the effects of New Year’s Eve parties. Van der Poel finished in 55:30.
Mathieu van der Poel wins 2019 GP Sven Nys, Elite Men – DVV Verzekeringen Trofee. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Full results below. Stay tuned for more from Baal.
2019 GP Sven Nys Results: Elite Men - DVV Verzekeringen Trofee - UCI C1
| Pl | Bib | Last Name | First Name | Nat | Team | Gender | Age | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | VAN DER POEL | Mathieu | NED | CORENDON - CIRCUS | M | 24 | 0:55:30 | |
| 2 | 2 | AERTS | Toon | BEL | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | M | 26 | 0:56:04 | |
| 3 | 3 | SWEECK | Laurens | BEL | PAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE | M | 26 | 0:56:19 | |
| 4 | 8 | ISERBYT | Eli | BEL | MARLUX - BINGOAL | M | 22 | 0:56:24 | |
| 5 | 10 | PAUWELS | Kevin | BEL | MARLUX - BINGOAL | M | 35 | 0:56:27 | |
| 6 | 6 | VAN KESSEL | Corne | NED | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | M | 28 | 0:56:27 | |
| 7 | 13 | MEEUSEN | Tom | BEL | CORENDON - CIRCUS | M | 31 | 0:56:38 | |
| 8 | 11 | PIDCOCK | Thomas | GBR | TP RACING | M | 20 | 0:56:40 | |
| 9 | 4 | VANTHOURENHOUT | Michael | BEL | MARLUX - BINGOAL | M | 26 | 0:57:01 | |
| 10 | 5 | VAN DER HAAR | Lars | NED | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | M | 28 | 0:57:12 | |
| 11 | 12 | BORO | Michael | CZE | CREAFIN TÜV SUD | M | 27 | 0:57:38 | |
| 12 | 16 | ADAMS | Jens | BEL | PAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE | M | 27 | 0:57:45 | |
| 13 | 20 | BAESTAENS | Vincent | BEL | M | 30 | 0:58:16 | ||
| 14 | 9 | ORTS LLORET | Felipe | ESP | DELIKIA - GINESTAR | M | 24 | 0:58:31 | |
| 15 | 36 | BOSMANS | Wietse | BEL | CREAFIN TÜV SUD | M | 28 | 0:58:49 | |
| 16 | 15 | AERTS | Thijs | BEL | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | M | 23 | 0:58:49 | |
| 17 | 14 | TYBAR | Zden?k | CZE | M | 34 | 0:59:03 | ||
| 18 | 21 | VANTHOURENHOUT | Dieter | BEL | MARLUX - BINGOAL | M | 34 | 0:59:20 | |
| 19 | 17 | AERNOUTS | Jim | BEL | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | M | 30 | 0:59:27 | |
| 20 | 34 | ESTEBAN AGUERO | Ismael | ESP | DELIKIA - GINESTAR | M | 36 | 1:00:03 | |
| 21 | 23 | GODRIE | Stan | NED | M | 26 | 1:00:30 | ||
| 22 | 48 | WHITE | Curtis | USA | M | 24 | 1:00:54 | ||
| 23 | 35 | TIELEN | Dario | BEL | M | 25 | 1:02:14 | ||
| 24 | 31 | MISSER VILASECA | Tomas | ESP | M | 45 | 1:02:23 | ||
| 25 | 40 | MILLBURN | Garry | AUS | M | 32 | -1 LAP | ||
| 26 | 49 | DE WIT | Edwin | BEL | M | 36 | -2 LAPS | ||
| 27 | 32 | JETTE | Cameron | CAN | M | 32 | -2 LAPS | ||
| 28 | 27 | LEAERTS | Yelle | BEL | M | 25 | -2 LAPS | ||
| 29 | 28 | EDMOND | James | GBR | M | 23 | -3 LAPS | ||
| 30 | 39 | MEELBERGHS | Pieter | BEL | M | 31 | -3 LAPS | ||
| 18 | VERMEERSCH | Gianni | BEL | STEYLAERTS - 777 | M | 27 | DNF | ||
| 29 | JUNQUERA SAN MILLAN | Luis | ESP | M | 25 | DNF | |||
| 33 | VAN TICHELT | Yorben | BEL | M | 25 | DNF | |||
| 37 | HECHT | Gage | USA | M | 21 | DNF |
