Felipe Orts unleashes madness in Benidorm: victory for Van der Poel and a podium finish for the Spaniard

The last-minute presence of the world champion completely changed the script of the Cyclocross World Cup in Benidorm. Mathieu van der Poel broke the race with a devastating attack on the finishing straight to go solo, while behind him, an intense battle for the podium unfolded, with Thibau Nys and a combative Felipe Orts thrilling the local crowd until the last lap.

Van der Poel's show and stellar performance by Felipe Orts in front of his home crowd

The circuit, despite combining planks, stairs, sandy sections, and a muddy area, proved to be very fast. The start was clean and explosive, with Tibor Del Grosso taking the initiative and Van der Poel immediately on his wheel, while the group of favorites rode compactly. This balance was maintained until, in the plank area, a stumble by the European champion caused a small gap that trapped Felipe Orts Lloret, who was in fifth place at that moment.

At the end of the first lap, everything seemed even, but it was just an illusion. On the same finishing straight, a paved ramp going uphill, Van der Poel launched a sharp attack of just 30 meters that left Del Grosso behind and allowed him to go solo. The race was scheduled for eight laps, but by the start of the third lap, the Dutchman already had nearly half a minute of advantage.

RECOMENDADO

New hot wax kit from Cyclowax

CamelBak makes the leap to the WorldTour with Team Visma | Lease a Bike

Shimano presents an ultra versatile pedal for MTB, gravel, or city

Pidcock announces his schedule for spring and will start in Murcia

New Grevil MX: Pinarello crosses all borders with a gravel bike convertible to MTB

Van Rysel presents its most futuristic bike to date

Behind, up to nine riders were riding within just five seconds: Joris Nieuwenhuis, Del Grosso, Thibau Nys, Mees Hendrikx, Kevin Kuhn, Niels Vandepitte, Felipe Orts, Toon Aerts, and Jente Michels. A large and closely monitored group where any movement could be decisive for the podium.

Felipe Orts deserved special mention. The Spaniard, supported by the local crowd and true to his declared goal before the race, launched a very tough attack on the fifth lap. The maneuver allowed him to break away from the chasing group and ride in second place solo for several minutes. His times matched those of Van der Poel, and Benidorm rallied behind the Spanish champion, who made the fans dream of a historic podium.

In that same fifth lap, with more than 40 seconds of margin, Van der Poel even allowed himself a very quick bike change, returning to the circuit with a completely clean bike and without losing a bit of pace.

At the start of the sixth lap, with victory clearly in sight for Van der Poel, all the excitement shifted to the battle for the podium. Thibau Nys managed to catch and surpass Orts, but instead of trying to drop him, the Belgian gestured for him to stay on his wheel. Both opted to collaborate and defend their positions against a larger chasing group, which was riding about 20 seconds behind.

With Nys setting the pace and Orts pedaling at the limit, the pair managed to maintain their advantage while Van der Poel was the first to hear the bell for the last lap. The Spanish crowd pushed until the end, dreaming of seeing Orts on the podium in Benidorm.

And so it was. Mathieu van der Poel crossed the finish line as the uncontested winner in Benidorm, culminating a display of power and absolute control of the race.

But if anyone earned a special ovation, it was Felipe Orts Lloret. Driven by the warmth of the crowd and after a brave and generous performance, the Alicante rider managed to hold his ground in the battle for the podium and crossed the finish line in third place, only surpassed by Van der Poel and a Thibau Nys who managed the final stretch intelligently. A result of enormous value for Orts, who delivers one of his best performances in the World Cup and makes Benidorm one of the most powerful images of Spanish cyclocross this season.

Top 10 – CX World Cup Benidorm | Men's Elite

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Premier Tech) – 1:01:04
2. Thibau Nys (Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions) – at 28″
3. Felipe Orts Lloret (Ridley Racing Team) – at 32″
4. Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin–Premier Tech) – at 44″
5. Niels Vandepitte (Alpecin–Premier Tech Development Team) – at 44″
6. Mees Hendrikx (Heizomat–Cube) – at 45″
7. Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing Team) – at 46″
8. Martin Groslambert (SEBmotobikes CX Team) – at 48″
9. Toon Aerts (Charles Liégeois–Deschacht) – at 52″
10. Joran Wyseure (Crelan–Corendon) – at 56″