Dry and very fast race in the penultimate stage of the Cyclocross World Cup in Spain: a different route than usual which made the race very battled with narrow gaps. Great to see such an audience: 15.000 spectators declared! And even more beautiful to see the magical trio at the start: Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pidcock! Michael Vanthourenhout does not start due to an illness during the night (probable stomach ache): good news for Laurens Sweeck, given that Vanthourenhout is his rival in the cup.
Mathieu Van der Poel starts on fire and wants to immediately put Van Aert in difficulty, who is never very brilliant in the starts. Pidcock immediately ready in the very first positions trying to keep Van der Poel's 1st wild lap and, indeed, relaunching the action.
It will be the fast course but it was one of the fastest starts of the World Cup: after Van der Poel's revving, Pidcock relaunches as if it were the last lap and passes under the finish with a few seconds advantage over Van der Poel, Iserbyt and away all the others away. Van Aert is in fifth position just a few seconds behind the leaders.
It's a shame to see such a perky Pidcock knowing that he won't participate in the world championship on February 5th in the Netherlands. But on the other hand they too are human beings, even if it doesn't seem like it, and they have to carefully evaluate the calendar to frame the various commitments both in MTB and on the road.
Pidcock is unleashed and continues to hammer like a blacksmith with Van Der Poel, Kuhn and Van Aert always a few meters behind. Sweeck and Iserbyt seem to struggle but remain hooked to the 4 heads. Kuhn seems to have the leg of his life in this race but let's see if he can keep up this pace until the end: remember that this year took a 3rd place in Vermiglio.
The decisive action takes place in the middle of the race: Tom Pidcock drops the accelerator for a moment, after about twenty minutes spent at the block, and Van der Poel attacks! The group splits: Pidcock gives up a few meters together with Kuhn and Van Aert, Van der Poel and Iserbyt remain in front, with Sweeck a few meters away.
Van der Poel and Van Aert seem to be the most on the ball but the course is so fast that, as soon as they get up, everyone comes back from behind, including Pidcock, thus recomposing the leading group which also included Sweeck and Iserbyt. The only one who jumped, compared to the leading group at the start of the race, is Kevin Kuhn who is now reabsorbed by the chasing group including the always present Van Der Haar, Vandebosch, Dubau and the local idol Orts Lorret.
With a course like this one expects fireworks from Van der Poel and Van Aert in the final laps and so it will be. After 2 laps Van Aert begins to rev the gas and only Van der Poel remains with him, but surprises Sweeck, who remains a few meters away and, as soon as the 2 in front slow down, he is always ready to come back, even moving into first position at the sound of the bell of the last round.
Last round of control, with Van der Poel and Van Aert looking at each other, allowing Eli Iserbyt to return as well. A heart-pounding finale is expected: Van der Poel takes the lead of malice on Van Aert who, in a fast course like the Spanish one, is no longer able to pass him, despite trying in every way to slip him. We arrive in the sprint, with Van Aert who tries to pass Van der Poel on the outside but risks a really big risk on the barriers.
3rd place for Eli Iserbyt, his race was great, and 4th for Laurens Sweeck, who keeps the leader's jersey. 5th place for Pidcock: brilliant at the start but then paid off in the finale.
[VIDEO] WHAT A RISK FOR VAN AERT
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ORDER OF ARRIVAL
| 1 |  VAN DER POEL Mathieu | ALPECIN - DECEUNINCK | 1:00:00 |
| 2 |  VAN AERT Wout | JUMBO VISMA | " |
| 3 | ISERBYT Eli | PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | 0:09 |
| 4 | SWEECK Laurens | CRELAN - FRISTADS | 0:20 |
| 5 |  PIDCOCK Tom | INEOS-GRENADIERS | 0:34 |
| 6 |  KUHN Kevin | TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | 0:56 |
| 7 | VAN DER HAIR Lars | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 1:11 |
| 8 | VANDEPUTTE Niels | ALPECIN - DECEUNINCK | 1:14 |
| 9 |  ORTS LLORET Felipe | 1:17 | |
| 10 | KUYPERS Gerben | 1:22 |
WORLD CUP STANDINGS WITH 1 STAGE FROM THE END
| 1 | SWEECK Laurens | 355 |
| 2 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael | 309 |
| 3 | ISERBYT Eli | 274 |
| 4 | VAN DER HAIR Lars | 265 |
| 5 | VANDEPUTTE Niels | 228 |
| 6 | VAN DER POEL Mathieu | 208 |
| 7 | KUHN Kevin | 176 |
| 8 | VAN AERT Wout | 170 |
| 9 | VANDEBOSCH Toon | 165 |
| 10 | ADAMS Jens | 160 |
