The other big televised race last weekend was the #Kasteelcross in #Zonnebeke. A great example of a more old-school course.
#CXcoursereviews
https://jensdekkerblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/cx-course-reviews-2022-2023-zonnebeke/

The other big televised race last weekend was the #Kasteelcross in #Zonnebeke. A great example of a more old-school course.
#CXcoursereviews
https://jensdekkerblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/cx-course-reviews-2022-2023-zonnebeke/

Despite a weather forecast with storm, the #Kasteelcross in Hulst is being contested today. Thibau Nys has already won the junior's race, the women are due to start at 1:45pm, so in 15mins. The course is pretty cool as the entrenchments serve up some ascents and descents. And yes: There is a windmill on the course! #cyclocross

#Zonnebeke, men's #Kasteelcross, result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel, NED, in 1:01.06 hours
2. Wout Van Aert, BEL, at + 0.36
3. Jens Adams, BEL + 1.20
4. Wietse Bosmans, BEL, + 1.28
5. Eli Iserbyt, BEL, + 1.31
6. David van der Poel, NED + 2.05
7. Felipe Orts, ESP, st
8. Gianni Vermeersch, BEL + 2.44
9. Vincent Baestaens, BEL, st
10. Nicolas Cleppe, BEL
Good training for Mathieu for the Worlds on how to ride with four Belgians trying to mark him.
#cyclocross

In a surprising plot twist, Jens Adams has dropped Eli Iserbyt and Wietse Bosmans at the beginning of the final lap. For Mathieu van der Poel, one last loop in the mud is all that separates him from another win in this #cyclocross season. #Zonnebeke #Kasteelcross

With three laps to go in #Zonnebeke's #Kasteelcross of the men, Wout van Aert is about 30secs adrift of the race leader Mathieu van der Poel. Adams, Iserbyt and Bosmans are more than a minute behind. #cyclocross

In lap 6, Mathieu van der Poel gets the tricky off-camber section of #Zonnebeke's #Kasteelcross right for the first time, riding it and clearing two muddy ditches. His brother David did this earlier in the race as well. Further back, Iserbyt has been caught by Jens Adams and Wietse Bosmans. #cyclocross

The lead group has been blown apart by the acceleration of Mathieu van der Poel: Wout Van Aert can't get any closer, but he's got a gap over Eli Iserbyt. Jens Adams and Wietse Bosmans have lost contact. #Zonnebeke #Kasteelcross #cyclocross

Half an hour into the men's #Kasteelcross, Mathieu van der Poel has attacked and distanced Van Aert. Iserbyt tries to react but he was a bit too far behind. Has this been the decisive moment? Van der Poel has 8secs on his chasers. #Zonnebeke #cyclocross

20mins into the men's #Kasteelcross in #Zonnebeke, five riders have separated themselves at the shapr end of the race with Wout Van Aert, Eli Iserbyt, Jens Adams, Mathieu van der Poel and Wietse Bosmans. Van Aert is cranking up the pressure now. Three laps done, seven laps to go. So the race jury has gone for 10 laps for the men's race. #cyclocross

A bit surprisingly Jens Adams has taken the lead after 2 laps, with Wout Van Aert in 2nd and Mathieu van der Poel moving up to 3rd with Eli Iserbyt on his wheel. The race distance at the men's #Kasteelcross in #Zonnebeke will likely be 10 laps, but that has not been confirmed yet. #cyclocross

The men are lined up for their #Kasteelcross race. No lack of muddy sections in #Zonnebeke, and the rainbow jersey is the first to appear from the fog and take the turn into the park. He's got his brother David on his wheel who fends off Iserbyt and Dieter Sweeck. Bit of a lesser start by Van Aert, but that is not unusual for Wout. #cyclocross

Less than 15mins to go for the men's #Kasteelcross in #Zonnebeke. The riders warming up and the spectators are properly wrapped up as it's a cold and misty Saturday afternoon in Belgium. Can Mathieu van der Poel extend his unbeaten streak against the likes of Eli Iserbyt and Wout van Aert? #cyclocross

Christine Majerus wins the women's #Kasteelcross thanks to a late attack in an off-camber running section. This attack gave her a tiny lead over Denise Betsema when turning onto the finishing straight - enough for the win. Ellen Van Loy in 3rd, Loes Sels in 4th, Karen Verhestraeten in 5th and Rebecca Fahringer in 6th. #cyclocross

Final lap of the women's #Kasteelcross: While Majerus has managed to get back to Betsema, Van Loy is struggling in 3rd a few seconds back. #cyclocross

At the beginning of the penultimate lap of the women's #Kasteelcross, Denise Betsema attacks and tries to shed Majerus and Van Loy - a win in the first race after a doping-related suspension would spark quite some discussion within the tiny world of #cyclocross. Majerus is not willing to give in yet, but she can't keep Betsema from pulling away. Sels in 4th, Verhestraeten in 5th and Fahringer in 6th.

With three laps to go in the women's #Kasteelcross, Luxemburg's champion Christine Majerus is accelerating hard, trying to get rid of Denise Betsema and Ellen Van Loy, but these two are not willing to break just yet. #cyclocross

The race distance in the women's #Kasteelcross will be 7 laps, and three laps have been ridden by now. Four laps to for the three leaders Majerus, Van Loy and Bestema, with Loes Sels in 4th and Marion Norbert Riberolle in 5th. #cyclocross

15mins done in the women's #Kasteelcross: Majerus and Van Loy have a tiny lead over Betsema as first chaser. But Betsema is about to close that gap. #cyclocross

Thick fog in #Zonnebeke as the women have started their #Kasteelcross. The fastest start was for Majerus, Van Loy and Verhestraeten are on her wheel and Betsema is moving up. #cyclocross