On Sunday, racers return to Namur for the UCI CX World Cup. Mathieu van der Poel\u2019s return to cyclocross brings him back to Belgium, a venue that has staged many decisive races but one unforgettable near-upset. Five years ago, on the brutal slopes of the Citadel, Toon Aerts pushed the Dutch superstar closer to defeat than almost anyone has managed in recent memory.<\/p>\n
The 2019 World Cup<\/a> unfolded like so many van der Poel races \u2014 until it didn\u2019t. Within minutes, the world champion surged clear on the off-camber climb, rainbow bands flashing as the rest of the field scrambled behind. It looked familiar, inevitable. Another day, another Mvdp win. Game over early. But Aerts refused to read the script. He was not racing for second, that day.<\/p>\n Van der Poel\u2019s return fuels ticket surge at Namur World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAt Namur, the morale is always a little higher. It was one of the first big crosses I rode as a junior, and I think I went to every one after that. It is one of the toughest races of the year, but the nice thing is that you can constantly ride around at your own pace,\u201d he said to Wielerflits.<\/a>\u201dYou are fighting more against yourself than against the competitors. That suits me perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n World cup cx Namur 2019 men first lap pic.twitter.com\/N9gKgRuOrm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \ud83c\udfc1Cycling record of MTB\ud83c\udfc1 (@dleopardi47) November 22, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n Namur has always brought out the best in the Belgian. The course rewards rhythm, resilience and patience more than snap acceleration, and Aerts arrived confident, with a deep belief that the Citadel suited him perfectly. Long climbs, constant pressure, no hiding.<\/p>\n