Van Aert beats Van der Poel in the final sprint of the Zolder Supersprestige

Van Aert and Van der Poel once again showed why they are the best riders in cyclocross. The two had a duel from the very first lap all the way to the finish line. On the last lap, Van der Poel launched an attack, but a technical failure caused Van Aert to recover the two seconds he had lost. The Belgian took the final sprint.

Van Aert wins in Zolder after a duel with Van der Poel that could only be decided in a sprint finish

Van der Poel and Van Aert have imposed their law in the Heusden-Zolder Supersprestige from the beginning. Although Aerts and Van Lierop led the race at the start, before the end of the first lap the two cyclocross stars pushed hard to break away from the rest of the riders.

An early attack that no one was able to follow, not even Pidcock, who, after coming back from fourteenth position after a bad start - together with Sweek - lost several positions in the first corners. The British rider understood that today was not the day and stayed in the second group of the race, focused on the fight for the podium.

The second lap saw the two leaders distance themselves even further from the rest. A temporary truce seemed to have been established between them, aware that there were still many kilometers to go.

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The group of six formed by Sweek, Vanthourenhout, Pidcock, Vandeputte, Van der Haar and Hermans remained unchanged. First Vanthourenhout and then Pidcock pulled away, but failed to get rid of any of the podium contenders.

Ahead, Van der Poel and Van Aert - who had so far hardly given any relays to the Dutchman - started the fourth lap with a 30-second lead. The pace of the two was similar and despite the continuity of their lead, it was assumed that they still had some strength left in their legs for the final assault.

The race was heading towards an exciting finish that clearly pointed to a head to head battle between Van der Poel and Van Aert that was going to last almost to the finish line. The feeling was that they were riding at a high pace, but that both could handle it without suffering.

The group of six fighting for third place was reduced to three on the fifth lap. Sweek, Pidcock and Vanthourenhout opened a small gap to the other three riders, who were resisting to lose sight of them.

Van Aert took the lead to start the sixth lap. At the same time, some 40 seconds behind, Hermans and Van der Haar were chasing Pidcock, Sweek and Vanthourenhout.

Until Pidcock decided to show off his rainbow jersey and went all out, while the riders who had accompanied him in the race up to that point gave up a few seconds.

Van der Poel and Van Aert, who had lost a few seconds of advantage, were leading without a break. At that point, the Orange Beast made a small mistake that forced him to get off the bike, which Van Aert took advantage of to overtake him and take the lead.

On the seventh lap Van Aert attacked and forced Van der Poel to push even harder to keep up with him. But once again, the attack was in vain and it looked like it was all going to come down to the last lap.

Behind, Vanthourenthout and Van der Haar managed to reach Pidcock to spoil the party even more for the British rider.

Van der Poel and Van Aert signed the best possible script and started the last lap together. Now it only remained to decide who and where would launch the attack. Every corner they passed on the wheel reminded everyone - in case anyone had forgotten - that these two riders are in another galaxy.

Just as the clock reached the hour mark, Van der Poel pushed on, but Van Aert's reply . Van Aert was two seconds behind, but a technical failure by Van der Poel made it easy for Van Aert to take the lead.

A moment of calm before the battle. Van der Poel hardly lost any time in the incident, but he had missed the opportunity to attack Van Aert, who was also not about to start pushing in the last part of the lap. It would all come down to the final sprint.

The two faced the finish line straight together. Van Aert started in front. He gave as much as he could and in the first meters, Van der Poel threw in the towel and moved aside, crossing second behind a Van Aert who took revenge for yesterday's Gavere World Cup.

The particular duel between Van der Haar and Pidcock to conquer the podium was finally won by the Dutchman, who cannot leave Pidcock satisfied and from whom more is expected.

On the other hand, Eli Iserbyt's return to competition after he went to the ground during the Val di Sole World Cup was resolved with a very discreet performance.

2022 Heusden-Zolder Superprestige – Elite Men Results

1. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
2. Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
3. Lars Van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions)
4. Tom Pidcock
5. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) 
6. Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions)
7. Quinten Hermans (Tormans Cyclo Cross Team)
8. Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Fristads)
9. Kevin Kuhn (Tormans Cyclo Cross Team)
10. Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck)