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Cyclocross Magazine's 2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup coverage is brought to you by Bike Rags Apparel with additional support from BikeIowa.

Daan Soete leading Thijs Aerts. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Daan Soete leading Thijs Aerts. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Belgium flexed its collective muscles at the Trek CX Cup C2 race on Friday, with Daan Soete and Thijs Aerts charging away from the largely American field to take first and second, cheered on by teammates who are saving their legs for the Sunday World Cup.

Soete rides while Aerts runs at the stairs. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Soete rides while Aerts runs at the stairs. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

The father and son Nys duo cheer Aerts. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

The father and son Nys duo cheer Aerts. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Behind them, though, there was a race.

Lance Haidet took off from the start, and after his fast first lap and the Belgians escaped, it was a fight for third.

Lance Haidet leads the Elite Men. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Lance Haidet leads the Elite Men. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

“It’s the battle of the North Americans,” the announcer was overheard saying as a group of five hammered around the course in a red-white-and-blue train. Stephen Hyde led things off, towing Kerry Werner, Tobin Ortenblad and Haidet away from the rest of the field.

Hyde leads Ortenblad. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Hyde leads Ortenblad. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Michael Van Den Ham chased on after a mishap while bunny-hopping the barriers left him on the ground. He ran the barriers every following lap.

Eventually, the group of five, became four, then three.

“I was into getting rid of Hyde,” said Werner after the race. “He looked like he was hurting, and I don’t know how Tobin (Ortenblad) hung in there, but he sure did.”

First off the back of the five was Haidet, and eventually Hyde lost contact, leaving Werner, Ortenblad and Van Dem Ham to duke it out. Van Den Ham, though running the barriers while the others rode them, took the pointy end of the train, trying to get rid of his companions, as well as trying to close the gap to Aerts.

The three never caught Aerts, though they did come close, but they stayed together deep into the final lap.

“I crashed on lap three, crossing the barriers and it got in my head,” said Van Den Ham. “I was unwilling to do it the rest of the race. I don’t know what the gap was, but I felt like I was losing like four or five bike lengths every time.”

Michael Van Den Ham leads a bunnyhopping Kerry Werner. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Michael Van Den Ham leads a bunnyhopping Kerry Werner. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Werner took advantage of that on the final lap and distanced himself from Van Den Ham with a quarter lap to go, taking the final step of the podium. Ortenblad also had a strong final lap, and wound up fourth.

“I felt good today, I never felt like I was going to come off” said Ortenblad. “It hurt bad, but I knew I could get gapped on the stabby stuff, but I could always roll back, so yeah. Feeling really good with this.”

Daan Soete had time to celebrate his UCI C2 win. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Daan Soete had time to celebrate his UCI C2 win. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Looking ahead to Sunday, there will be more Belgians in the start grid, with the likes of Toon Aerts, Quentin Hermans, Thibau Nys, as well as the tough Dutch squad including Corne Van Kessel, Lars Van Der Haar and Gosse Van Der Meer. Add to that Marcel Meisen (German, Michael Van Den Ham (Canadian) and Felipe Timoteo Nystrom Spencer (Columbia) and it will be a truly international World Cup.

Stay tuned for full coverage.

Photo gallery below the results.

Our 2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup coverage is brought to you by Bike Rags Apparel with additional support from BikeIowa.

2021 Trek Cyclocross Cup: Elite Men Results, UCI C2

RankBibNameAffiliationTimeSplit TimeLaps
112Daan SOETEDeschacht-Group Hens-Containers1:02:33.6:27.10
211Thijs AERTSBaloise Trek Lions1:03:12.6:24.10
31Kerry WERNERKona Maxxis Shimano CX Team1:03:16.6:10.10
422Tobin ORTENBLADSanta Cruz Bicycles1:03:20.6:13.10
59Michael VAN DEN HAMEaston-Giant p/b Transitions Li1:03:30.6:24.10
62Stephen HYDESteve Tilford Foundation Racing1:04:31.6:28.10
74Lance HAIDETL39ION of Los Angeles1:04:39.6:37.10
83Scott MCGILLAevolo1:04:56.6:41.10
97Scott FUNSTONBlue Competition Cycles p/b Bui1:05:32.6:54.10
1010Gosse VAN DER MEERBombtrack Bicycles1:05:44.6:38.10
1148Matt LELIVELDHardwood NextWave1:06:04.6:37.10
1234Casey HILDEBRANDTDonkey Label + Broken Spoke1:06:11.6:36.10
1351Brian MATTERLinear Sport Racing1:06:12.6:37.10
1429Mark MYLESBe Real Sports1:06:29.6:51.10
1554Jonathan ANDERSONJ moneyz factory racin1:07:13.7:01.10
1640Tommy SERVETASComp Edge Racing1:07:19.6:57.10
1720Nicholas LANDOComp Edge Racing1:07:32.6:44.10
1858Nicholas F TABARESASU Devo Pro CX1:07:39.6:43.10
1953Dillon MCNEILLTrek Cyclocross Collective1:07:44.6:46.10
2018Finnegan OCONNORComp Edge Racing1:07:50.6:53.10
2156Luke ARENSAdapt Cycling1:08:22.7:04.10
2233Lief RODGERSGiant Canada Off-Road Team1:08:28.7:01.10
2339Ryder UETRECHTASU Development ProCX1:08:47.7:25.10
2447Jacob LEBLANCComp Edge Racing1:09:29.8:00.10
2523Andrew GINIATThe Pony Shop p/b KPMG54:25.6:45.8
2625Nick CARTERNorthStar Development54:25.6:46.8
2735Isaac NEFFNeff Cycle Service54:25.6:21.8
2813Marcel MEISENAlpecin - Fenix46:28.6:55.7
2916Brian WESTPhoenix syndicate48:05.6:47.7
3021Josh BAUERjiayoulife48:05.6:40.7
3143Matthew RILEYLinear Sport / Trek48:05.6:34.7
3228Seamus OCONNOR-WALKERDonkey Label48:05.6:00.7
3336Owen BRENNEMANCXHAIRS DEVO : TREK BIKES48:05.6:19.7
3438Jeremy BLOYD-PESHKINThe Pony Shop p/b KPMG48:05.6:06.7
3549Peter SWINANDThe Pony Shop p/b KPMG42:05.7:02.6
3626Dakota OLSENOlathe Subaru42:05.6:59.6
3757Thomas FULLERLindenwood University42:05.6:28.6
3819Felipe Timoteo NYSTROM SPENCERCosta Rica42:05.6:30.6
3950Nicholas LEMKEKUHL Cycling Team42:05.6:29.6
4042Nathan KNOWLESASU Development ProCX42:05.6:59.6
4141Jesse RIENTSKUHL Cycling Team42:05.6:22.6
4227Jamie WILLIAMSMarian University35:44.7:09.5
4317Orion CHILDVelo Childeric35:44.7:06.5
4446Yannick MAYERSRAM Germany Schweinfurt35:58.7:57.5
4524Luke FEUERHELMKCCX Elite Cyclocross Team36:17.7:25.5
4632Henry MCALVANAHTrek Cyclocross Colletive30:52.8:20.4
4737Tyler REYNOLDSTrek Cyclocross Collective22:33.7:16.3
4855Owen ROGERSLindenwood University23:41.8:14.3
DNF5Andrew STROHMEYERCX Hairs Devo: Trek Bikes7:35.6
DNS6Ben FREDERICKORNOT/TheSmallMonstersProject/R0
DNS8Sam NOELCompetitive Edge Racing0
DNS30Joseph SCHMALZSteve Tilford Foundation Racing0
DNS31Daxton MOCKTrek Cyclocross Collective0
DNS45Ian LOPEZ DE SAN ROMANBear National / WCX0
DNS52Drew BUBLITZAvout Racing0

2021 Trek Cyclocross Cup Elite Men Photo Gallery, by Dave Mable:

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Cyclocross is back and Michael Van den Ham and Lance Haidet have plenty to smile about. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Cyclocross is back and Michael Van den Ham and Lance Haidet have plenty to smile about. 2021 Trek CX Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

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