Van Aert wins the Benidorm 2024 CX World Cup without the saddle

We can now say that the Benidorm race has been the most exciting race of the CX World Cup 2024 to date. The favorites did not disappoint and after an exciting race Wout van Aert took a great victory after an unexpected fall from Van der Poel

Wout van Aert ends the season on a high note with the victory of the CX World Cup in Benidorm 2024

Far from what we had seen in the previous World Cup races, the start of the Benidorm circuit took its toll on the favorites and relegated Van Aert, Pidcock and Van der Poel to very delayed positions from the start.

A fast course, with few areas to overtake and some problems made Wout van Aert pass outside the Top 10 on the first lap, Pidcock in position 15 and Van der Poel a little behind in position 19, he even reached 25th place.

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While each of them started their comebacks, the race was being led by pure cyclocross riders like Laurent Sweeck or Joris Nieuwenhuis.

But the laps were happening and the race was taking on other shades. Wout van Aert was the first of the "Big Three" to take the lead in the race and tried to increase the pace to open a gap with Van der Poel, but the World Champion showed that he is still playing in another league and his overtakes seemed to pause his opponents.

20 minutes into the race and it was at the start of lap 4 when Van Aert looked back and found Van der Poel catching up with him in third position for the first time. Only Thibau Nys stood between them, but the pace of the World Champion was demoralizing for his rivals.

Tom Pidcock had also made his particular comeback and was already in fifth place.

But Van der Poel's comeback was far from over and with a devastating overtake he took the first position ahead of Van Aert with 5 laps to go.

It was on lap 5 when the race took a slight break, which allowed Tom Pidcock to reach Van Aert and Van der Poel and even took the first position. 

Everything seemed to relax in the following laps and Michael Vannthourenhout, Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock led the race in a group. 

But the pace paused so much that the riders from behind soon connected with the race lead and in the penultimate lap, the first 10 riders were together.

Everything blew up when Mathieu van der Poel fell on the penultimate lap. Something that Wout van Aert and Vannthourenhout took advantage of to attack and go solo.

The crash of Van der Poel left the World Champion very touched and he started the last lap in 10th position and 22 seconds behind the leaders. Everything pointed to this being his first defeat of the season.

Wout Van Aert knew how to control the race from that moment and with impeccable management he took the final victory despite a last fall that could have cost him dearly.

At the finish the podium was completely Belgian with Michael Vannthourenhout in second place and Thibau Nys closing the podium. Van der Poel finally finished 5th and Tom Pidcock 9th behind a great Felpie Orts who finished 8th.

Results CX World Cup Benidorm 2024

1. VAN AERT Wout (TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE) 
2. VANTHOURENHOUT Michael (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +3
3. NYS Thibau (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +7
4. ISERBYT Eli (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +7
5. VAN DER POEL Mathieu (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) +12
6. VANDEBOSCH Toon (CRELAN-CORENDON) +13
7. VAN DER HAAR Lars (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +15
8. ORTS LLORET Felipe +21
9. PIDCOCK Thomas (INEOS GRENADIERS) +27
10. VENTURINI Clement (ARKEA) +31