Van der Poel opens his season by winning at CX

The World Champion, Mathieu Van der Poel, arrived at the third round of the X2O Trofee, at the Scheldecross, with the aim of starting his CX 20-21 season, but although it was his debut he didn't make anyone wait and achieved a resounding victory. 

Mathieu Van der Poel wins his first race of the season

After trying to go solo from the first lap, Mathieu Van der Poel found the current number one in the UCI ranking, Eli Iserbyt, dismantling his attack and preventing him from leaving.

With Van der Poel's first attack dismantled, the race continued with both riders fighting for the lead, even Van der Poel fell to the ground on lap 3, but by lap 5 the group fighting for victory had grown to five riders.

On the penultimate lap Van der Poel and Eli Iserbyt increased the pace without anyone being able to follow them, and just before the bell rang, the rainbow jersey launched a final attack with which it would reach the finish line alone.

Britain's Tom Pidcock, the current e-MTB world champion, closed the podium.

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands / Alpecin-Fenix) 58:10
2. Eli Iserbyt (Belgium / Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0: 06
3. Tom Pidcock (Great Britain / Trinity Racing) +0: 27