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BOGENSE, Denmark—Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) has had only a few blips in pursuit of a nearly perfect cyclocross season thus far, but he has been flawless in the World Cups leading up to Sunday’s race in Bogense, Denmark. Van der Poel took the wins at both U.S. World Cups and won again at Koksijde last month. He came into Bogense looking to make it four for four on a windy day along the Denmark coast.

Fans have grown accustomed to seeing Wout van Aert (Crelan-Charles) battle the Dutch phenom into at least the mid part of races, but on Sunday, it was Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea Lions) who stuck with Van der Poel. After riding a steep, technical descent early in the race, Van der Poel adjusted midrace and ran the section to get a gap on Aerts. Once Van der Poel got a gap on Aerts, it was smooth sailing en route to his fourth World Cup win of the 2017/18 season.

The Bogense World Cup featured a unique seaside setting. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

The Bogense World Cup featured a unique seaside setting. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

A Windy Day at the Seashore

The windy day at started ominously for several riders in the World Cup field. Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) suffered a mechanical at the opening whistle and started his race with a run to the pit. Lars van der Haar (Telenet Fidea Lions) took the holeshot, but then crashed trying to hop the barriers during the first lap.

After one lap, Van der Haar recovered and joined a lead selection that also included Van der Poel, Van Aert and Aerts.

Toon Aerts has been showing increasing confidence and a willingness to mix things up as the season has progressed. Early in the second lap he attacked to stir things up a bit. His aggression was rewarded and him and Van der Poel got off the front, with the other two lead selection riders dangling five seconds back.

Mathieu van der Poel and Toon Aerts battled into the mid part of the race. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Mathieu van der Poel and Toon Aerts battled into the mid part of the race. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

With the tough conditions and several steep sections, early in the race it was clear the racing was less a question of power and bike handling and more an issue of who could get on and off their bikes the quickest at the right spots. And also, who could avoid face planting at the barriers.

This was evident by Van der Poel’s early-race choices on a steep descent that led into a right-hand turn. Perhaps somewhat stubbornly, Van der Poel opted to ride the descent that other riders were running more quickly.

Early in the race, Mathieu van der Poel was riding the descent others were running. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Early in the race, Mathieu van der Poel was riding the descent others were running. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Van der Poel stuck with the ride into the middle of the race before abandoning it in the fifth lap. His reward was a gap on his challenger Aerts. Once Van der Poel gained a gap on Aerts, he returned to riding the descent, but any time lost was a moot point. The Dutch wunderkind had the gap he needed and he coasted along the coast to take the win and stay perfect through four of the nine World Cup races this season.

Mathieu van der Poel celebrates his fourth World Cup win this season. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Mathieu van der Poel celebrates his fourth World Cup win this season. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Aerts’ fast start took its toll down the stretch. Van Aert slowly closed the gap up to the second-place rider and finally made contact during the last lap. Van Aert outkicked his Belgian compatriot down the stretch to take second.

After getting a new bike in the first lap, Hyde made the most of his Danish trip and rode from DFL back to 31st.

Stephen Hyde recovered to finish 31st after a mechanical at the beginning of the race. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Stephen Hyde recovered to finish 31st after a mechanical at the beginning of the race. 2017 Bogense World Cup. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

2017 Bogense World Cup Results - Elite Men

RankBIBLast NameFirst NameCountryUCI TeamAgeResult
119VAN DER POELMathieuNEDBEOBANK-CORENDON221:02:58
21VAN AERTWoutBELCRELAN - CHARLES231:03:06
36AERTSToonBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS241:03:07
420VAN DER HAARLarsNEDTELENET FIDEA LIONS261:03:45
58MERLIERTimBELCRELAN - CHARLES251:04:19
621VAN KESSELCorneNEDTELENET FIDEA LIONS261:04:26
73SWEECKLaurensBELERA-CIRCUS241:04:46
87HERMANSQuintenBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS221:04:50
94VANTHOURENHOUTMichaelBELMARLUX - NAPOLEON GAMES241:05:03
102PAUWELSKevinBELMARLUX - NAPOLEON GAMES331:05:04
1145BERTOLINIGioeleITA221:05:07
1211BAESTAENSVincentBEL281:05:15
135MEEUSENTomBELBEOBANK-CORENDON291:05:18
149VERMEERSCHGianniBELSTEYLAERTS - BETFIRST251:05:34
1531BOROŠMichaelCZEPAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE251:05:43
1656MEISENMarcelGERSTEYLAERTS - BETFIRST281:05:55
1712ADAMSJensBELPAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE251:05:59
1813AERNOUTSJimBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS281:06:03
1918VANTHOURENHOUTDieterBELMARLUX - NAPOLEON GAMES321:06:14
2010SOETEDaanBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS231:06:17
2135BOULOMatthieuFRA281:06:21
2215CLEPPENicolasBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS221:06:24
2342ORTS LLORETFelipeESPGINESTAR - DELIKIA221:06:26
2429ZAHNERSimonSUI341:06:29
2528WILDHABERMarcelSUI321:06:42
2632PAPRSTKATomášCZE251:06:52
2737CANALFabienFRA281:07:01
2826VAN DEN BRANDTwanNED281:07:05
2958WEBERSaschaGER291:07:20
3033NESVADBAJanCZE261:07:26
3138HYDEStephenUSA301:07:36
3234CHAINELSteveFRATEAM CHAZAL CANYON341:07:47
3314SWEECKDietherBELERA-CIRCUS241:07:55
3430SÄGESSERSeverinSUI251:07:58
3524VAN LEEUWENPatrickNED321:08:09
3643RUIZ DE LARRINAGA IBAÑEZJavierESP381:08:13
3723GODRIEStanNEDCRELAN - CHARLES241:08:25
3836FALENTAAloisFRA281:08:39
3925VAN DER MEERGosseNEDTARTELETTO - ISOREX221:08:46
4039DURRINJeremyUSA291:09:27
4116VAN TICHELTYorbenBELERA-CIRCUS23LAP
4241ESTEBAN AGUEROIsmaelESPGINESTAR - DELIKIA34LAP
4347SAMPARISINicolasITA25LAP
4449CARSTENSENSebastian FiniDEN22LAP
4546SAMPARISILorenzoITA24LAP
4644SUAREZ FERNANDEZKevinESP23LAP
4767HARALDSETHFredrikNOR25LAP
4860MICHALSKIKarolPOL25LAP
4964ERIKSSONMartinSWE25LAP
5050RASMUSSENNiels BechDEN22LAP
5152MOBERG NIELSENTommyDEN36LAP
5240JUILIANOAndrewUSA29LAP
5351PARBOJoachimDEN43LAP
5454LAUSTSENMortenDEN33LAP
5566AALRUSTHenrik LunderNOR22LAP
5659TAKENOUCHIYuJPN29LAP
5762ERIKSSONDavidSWE22LAP
5853LINDSELJacobDEN35LAP
5961OMARSSONIngvarISL28LAP
6063JANSSONHenrikSWE22LAP
6155OSTERGAARDNikolaj RuudDEN23LAP
22VAN DER POELDavidNEDBEOBANK-CORENDON25DNF
48HANSENKennethDEN26DNF