2021 Dendermonde World Cup Results, Photos: Elite Men

All eyes were on Mathieu van der Poel at the 2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Dendermonde.

The heavy, muddy course marked the first race of the season for the reigning Cyclocross World Champ, who was returning from a November knee injury and a long road and mountain bike season. His season's highlights included stage wins and days in the yellow jersey at the 2021 Tour de France, but also were marked by the low of spectacularly crashing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Mountain Bike race and hurting his back.

In Dendermonde, could Van der Poel overcome a third-row start, injuries and an undefeated rival in Wout van Aert?

It took just ten seconds to see that the Dutch star was certainly ready to give it a go, as he navigated his way through traffic to sprint into the top five by the first turn.

While Toon Aerts hit the front in hopes of showing that his chance of victory should not be discounted, Van der Poel was never far from the front, while Van Aert was stuck in traffic.

Pidcock, the third star of the multi-discipline "Big Three" was far back and never factored.

Soon Van Aert joined the lead group, and after three laps, it was down to the three tall stars in Van Aert, Van der Poel and Aerts.

Aerts was first to fade after four laps, while Van Aert gapped Van der Poel only to see him repeatedly claw back.

Would we be treated to yet another duel for the ages?

Van Aert took advantage of a Van der Poel bike change to open the gap back up, and on Lap Five, it stretched to five seconds, and the elastic snapped.

By Lap Six, it was 11 seconds, and soon Van der Poel was racing for second, and would finish 49 seconds back.

"It was quite okay, along the expectations today," Van der Poel said after the finish. "The first half was quite good and then the second half, my shape let me down a little bit but I hope that will come soon with the races I'll be doing."

Aerts completed the podium, finishing 1:18 in arrears.

Van Aert commented on the lack of fans after his win, not understanding the country's decision to ban them.

American Curtis White finished 17th, leading a large North American contingent.

Full results and photo gallery below. See the Elite Women's results and photos from Dendermonde here.

2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Dendermonde Results: Elite Men

Pos	Nr	Name / UCI Cyclocross Team	NAT	Time	Gap
1.	7	VAN AERT Wout JUMBO-VISMA	BEL	1:03:48	-
2.	1	VAN DER POEL Mathieu ALPECIN - FENIX	NED	1:04:37	+0:49
3.	9	AERTS Toon BALOISE TREK LIONS	BEL	1:05:06	+1:18
4.	10	VANTHOURENHOUT Michael PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	1:05:40	+1:52
5.	11	HERMANS Quinten TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	BEL	1:05:57	+2:09
6.	3	VAN KESSEL Corne TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	NED	1:06:29	+2:41
7.	12	SWEECK Laurens PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	1:06:40	+2:52
8.	33	PIDCOCK Thomas INEOS GRENADIERS	GBR	1:06:47	+2:59
9.	8	ISERBYT Eli PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	1:07:01	+3:13
10.	2	VAN DER HAAR Lars BALOISE TREK LIONS	NED	1:07:12	+3:24
11.	16	AERTS Thijs BALOISE TREK LIONS	BEL	1:07:29	+3:41
12.	13	BAESTAENS Vincent CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES	BEL	1:07:39	+3:51
13.	15	VANDEBOSCH Toon PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	1:08:13	+4:25
14.	44	MEISEN Marcel ALPECIN - FENIX	GER	1:08:25	+4:37
15.	35	TURNER Ben TRINITY RACING	GBR	1:08:39	+4:51
16.	17	VERMEERSCH Gianni ALPECIN - FENIX	BEL	1:09:02	+5:14
17.	36	WHITE Curtis CANNONDALE/CYCLOCROSSWORLD	USA	1:09:10	+5:22
18.	14	SOETE Daan CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES	BEL	1:09:41	+5:53
19.	24	KUHN Kevin TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	SUI	1:09:57	+6:09
20.	4	VAN DER POEL David ALPECIN - FENIX	NED	1:10:02	+6:14
21.	38	HECHT Gage AEVOLO	USA	1:10:03	+6:15
22.	6	GODRIE Stan	NED	1:10:28	+6:40
23.	30	BOROS Michael	CZE	1:11:16	+7:28
24.	18	GRAS Yan TEAM PODIOCOM CC	FRA	1:11:30	+7:42
25.	25	BERTOLINI Gioele SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE	ITA	1:11:53	+8:05
26.	34	MEIN Thomas TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	GBR	-1 LAP
27.	39	HAIDET Lance L39ION OF LOS ANGELES	USA	-1 LAP
28.	20	PHILIBERT Aurelien ARDENNES CROSS TEAM GECIBAT	FRA	-1 LAP
29.	5	VAN DER MEER Gosse	NED	-2 LAP
30.	19	GUILLAUD Valentin TEAM GUEVEL IMMOBILIER LAVAL CYCLISME 53	FRA	-2 LAP
31.	37	WERNER Kerry	USA	-2 LAP
32.	40	SWARTZ Caleb	USA	-2 LAP
33.	27	SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Kevin NESTA - MMR CX TEAM	ESP	-2 LAP
34.	23	DUJARDIN Sandy	FRA	-3 LAP
35.	31	PETRUS Lubomir	CZE	-3 LAP
36.	22	JAUREGUI Quentin B&B HOTELS P/B KTM	FRA	-3 LAP
37.	53	VAN DEN HAM Michael	CAN	-3 LAP
38.	28	JUNQUERA SAN MILLAN Mario UNICAJA BANCO - GIJON	ESP	-3 LAP
39.	43	O'CONNOR Finnegan	USA	-3 LAP
40.	21	MARASCO Lorenzo SEBMOTOBIKES CX TEAM	FRA	-3 LAP
41.	49	HAUSSLER Heinrich BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	AUS	-3 LAP
42.	52	KOCKELMANN Raphael	LUX	-3 LAP
43.	26	DORIGONI Jakob SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE	ITA	-4 LAP
44.	47	HAMM Florian SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN	GER	-4 LAP
45.	54	JETTE Cameron	CAN	-4 LAP
46.	50	HEIGL Philipp	AUT	-4 LAP
47.	41	CLOUTIER Tyler	USA	-5 LAP
48.	42	LANDO Nicholas	USA	-5 LAP
49.	46	MAYER Yannick	GER	-5 LAP
50.	51	NYSTROM SPENCER Felipe Timoteo	CRC	-5 LAP
51.	29	LLANEZA ARGUELLES Miguel	ESP	-6 LAP
	32	VANICEK Simon	CZE	DNF
	45	WEBER Sascha TREK | VAUDE	GER	DNF
	48	PAUL Felix	GER	DNS

2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Dendermonde Photo Gallery: Elite Men