2022 UCI World Cup Val Di Sole Elite Men Results and Highlights: Vanthourenhout Dominates, Eli Iserbyt Leaves On Stretcher, Mathieu van der Poel Rides at 125 BPM Heart Rate

The 2022 UCI World Cup Val Di Sole was not a favorable race for Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal as both their stars suffered a major crash at the same location. With a surprising turn of events, Eli Iserbyt also crashed at the same location as Fem Van Empel. This crash caused Iserbyt to be withdrawn from the race.

🚑 Medical update: after the bad crashes in Val di Sole, luckily the first examinations on the race venue haven’t showed any fractures for both Fem van Empel and Eli Iserbyt 🍀

(1/2) pic.twitter.com/A2xeFOinym

— Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal (@PS_BG_CT) December 17, 2022

Later reports showed that no bones were fractured.

However, all was not lost for Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal as Michael Vanthourenhout came in first and made up for Iserbyt’s withdrawal. His performance showed his skill and mastery of the snowy terrain. He did better than last year’s Val Di Sole and moved up from second to first, with last years winner Van Aert missing.

MICH❄️EL ⛷

What a ride by Michael yesterday in Val di Sole!🇮🇹💥#FightToTheFinish
📸 https://t.co/D5Ck2KkQna pic.twitter.com/VUfEd36bws

— Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal (@PS_BG_CT) December 18, 2022

Vandeputte Niels (Alpecin – Deceuninck) came in second followed by Kevin Kuhn (Tormans Cyclo Cross Team) three seconds later. This was Kuhn’s ever first podium.

 

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A post shared by Niels Vandeputte (@niels_vandeputte)

FIRST EVER WORLD CUP PODIUM FOR KEVIN KUHN!!! 🥉#CXWorldCup #ValdiSole pic.twitter.com/LBGWXBa1VH

— Tormans Cyclo Cross Team (@tormanscross) December 17, 2022

 

What about Van der Poel, the only big three on the start list? Mathieu van der Poel finished in 8th place. This is the third time out of the 40 World Cups that he did not finish on the podium. The other two times were all the way back in 2017 Hoogerheide and 2016 Heusden-Zolder.

After his 8th-place finish, Van der Poel did not comment on his performance. Instead, his father gave us an insight into what happened in Val Di Sole.

“I think Mathieu drove around with a gigantic egg in his pants today,” said Adrie. (Translated)

According to Adrie, this just meant that Van der Poel was scared of getting injured in the course. With such a packed race schedule ahead, he could not afford to get into any serious crashes. He was not confident in the snow and ice so he proceeded to take the safe route. According to his father, Van der Poel’s heart rate did not peak over 125 in the last five laps. As he passed rider after rider that had crashed, he became more worried. The Alpecin-Deceuninck team management clearly knew his fear and hesitation and highly advised against him pushing himself.

According to Adrie, his performance was nothing to worry about, and he will be back to his normal self on the next course.

Read the full story here.

See the full highlights below.

2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Val di Sole Highlights: Men’s Race:

See full results below.

2022 UCI World Cup Val Di Sole Results - Elite Men

Pos	Nr	Name / UCI Cyclocross Team	NAT	Time	Gap
1.	12	VANTHOURENHOUT Michael PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	57:59	-
2.	11	VANDEPUTTE Niels ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK	BEL	58:38	+0:39
3.	28	KUHN Kevin TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	SUI	58:41	+0:42
4.	8	SWEECK Laurens CRELAN - FRISTADS	BEL	58:43	+0:44
5.	32	RÜEGG Timon CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE	SUI	59:19	+1:20
6.	4	BAESTAENS Vincent BELGIUM	BEL	1:00:36	+2:37
7.	22	RONHAAR Pim BALOISE TREK LIONS	NED	1:00:50	+2:51
8.	23	VAN DER POEL Mathieu ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK	NED	1:01:13	+3:14
9.	3	AERTS Thijs BALOISE TREK LIONS	BEL	1:01:18	+3:19
10.	24	VAN KESSEL Corne TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM	NED	1:01:18	+3:19
11.	9	VAN DE PUTTE Victor DESCHACHT-HENS-MAES	BEL	1:01:19	+3:20
12.	21	GODRIE Stan NETHERLANDS	NED	1:01:40	+3:41
13.	10	VANDEBOSCH Toon ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK	BEL	1:01:52	+3:53
14.	50	SAMPARISI Nicolas KTM ALCHEMIST POWERED BY BRENTA BRAKES	ITA	1:01:54	+3:55
15.	46	FONTANA Filippo CS CARABINIERI - CICLI OLYMPIA VITTORIA	ITA	1:01:58	+3:59
16.	6	LOOCKX Lander DESCHACHT-HENS-MAES	BEL	1:01:59	+4:00
17.	52	VERMEERSCH Gianni ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK	BEL	1:02:07	+4:08
18.	7	MEEUSSEN Witse PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	1:02:09	+4:10
19.	42	CEOLIN Federico BELTRAMI TSA TRE COLLI	ITA	1:02:56	+4:57
20.	17	GROSLAMBERT Martin FRANCE	FRA	1:02:57	+4:58
21.	15	BOMMENEL Nathan AS BIKE RACING	FRA	1:03:01	+5:02
22.	31	OPPIZZI Matteo SWITZERLAND	SUI	1:03:05	+5:06
23.	19	MENUT David AS BIKE RACING	FRA	1:03:13	+5:14
24.	30	MOTTIEZ Gilles CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE	SUI	1:03:14	+5:15
25.	36	MEISEN Marcel GERMANY	GER	1:03:22	+5:23
26.	40	BERTOLINI Gioele SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE	ITA	1:03:25	+5:26
27.	18	LELANDAIS Rémi CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE	FRA	1:03:35	+5:36
28.	2	ADAMS Jens BELGIUM	BEL	1:04:31	+6:32
29.	49	PAVAN Marco ITALY	ITA	-1 LAP
30.	25	BARD Nicolas SWITZERLAND	SUI	-1 LAP
31.	37	AGOSTINACCHIO Filippo SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE	ITA	-2 LAP
32.	45	FOLCARELLI Antonio ITALY	ITA	-2 LAP
33.	20	THOMAS Théo SEBMOTOBIKES CX TEAM	FRA	-2 LAP
34.	35	HAMM Florian GERMANY	GER	-2 LAP
35.	41	CALLIGARO Cristian KTM ALCHEMIST POWERED BY BRENTA BRAKES	ITA	-3 LAP
36.	47	HUEZ Emanuele CS CARABINIERI - CICLI OLYMPIA VITTORIA	ITA	-3 LAP
37.	16	CASTILLE Noé CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE	FRA	-3 LAP
38.	34	GAßNER Michael GERMANY	GER	-3 LAP
39.	26	CERATO Gabriele SWITZERLAND	SUI	-3 LAP
40.	39	BERGAGNA Tommaso ITALY	ITA	-3 LAP
41.	27	GAFNER Thierry SWITZERLAND	SUI	-4 LAP
42.	38	BASSIGNANA Fabio TRINX FACTORY TEAM	ITA	-4 LAP
43.	29	MORARD Dimitri SWITZERLAND	SUI	-5 LAP
44.	43	COMINELLI Cristian CYCLING CAFE' RACING TEAM	ITA	-5 LAP
45.	33	TERMENS NADAL Josep CANNONDALE TB	ESP	-6 LAP
	5	ISERBYT Eli PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	BEL	DNF
	48	MASCIARELLI Lorenzo PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL	ITA	DNF