Two days after his first cyclocross race in Antwerp, Van Aert lined up at the start in Hofstade, where he was aiming for nothing less than a podium spot. After a strong start, the Belgian entered the field in fifth place, but a slip in the second lap cost him a few places. Van Aert showed resilience and, thanks to a strong effort, moved up to second place in the race.
Van der Poel had already flown away by that point, but in the battle for second place, Van Aert continued to pull away from his competitors. After just under an hour, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider crossed the finish line in second place. “I can be satisfied with my performance. Technically, I rode much better than in Antwerp”, said Van Aert.