In Belgium, cyclo-cross does not stop: January 1st it starts again. This time, however, without Wout Van Aert and Mathieu Van Der Poel. Laurens Sweeck also decided to take a day off. Instead Tom Pidcock is present and therefore all the favors of the prediction are naturally turned towards him.
Tom Pidcock, Michael Vanthourenhout and Ely Iserbyt start strong, closing the 1st lap already with a discrete advantage over their direct pursuers.
But Tom Pidcock doesn't seem to struggle and immediately launches the attack on the first of the 2 hardest climbs in the programme: the Englishman immediately makes the difference and behind, Vanthourenhout and Iserbyt, travel in pairs about 10 seconds behind.
The race continued without many changes with Tom Pidcock continuing to gain the advantage, driving clean and without mistakes. It seems like an easy and announced victory but, during the last lap, the world champion makes a bad mistake in the jump area: the bike takes an unwanted channel and an unexpected direction! Pidcock crashes and loses many seconds, thus leading to the return of Vanthourenhout and Iserbyt.
Pidcock seems to have suffered the blow and, most likely, there is also the breaking of the cleat of the shoe since he no longer seems to be able to impart power and, in the steepest uphill sections, he is forced to run on foot. Iserbyt takes advantage of it and attacks, winning over Vanthourenhout and a heartbroken Pidcock.
TOM PIDCOCK FALL VIDEO
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1 |  ISERBYT Eli | PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | 1:00:35 |
| 2 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael | PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | 0:11 |
| 3 |  PIDCOCK Tom | INEOS-GRENADIERS | 1:02 |
| 4 |  VAN DER HAIR Lars | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 1:08 |
| 5 | ADAMS Jens | 1:56 | |
| 6 | NIEUWENHUIS Joris | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 2:01 |
| 7 | HERMANS Quinten | ALPECIN - DECEUNINCK | 2:21 |
| 8 | MASON Cameron | TRINITY RACING CROSS | 2:29 |
| 9 | RONHAAR Pim | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 2:55 |
| 10 | KIELICH Timo | CRELAN - FRISTADS | 3:35 |
FEMALE ELITE RANKING
| 1 | VAN EMPEL Fem | JUMBO VISMA | 50:48 |
| 2 | BRAND Lucinda | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 2:00 |
| 3 | ALVARADO Ceylin Del Carmen | ALPECIN - DECEUNINCK | 2:27 |
| 4 | BETSHEMA Denise | PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | 3:12 |
| 5 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE Marion | CRELAN - FRISTADS | 3:20 |
| 6 |  HONSINGER Clara | 3:36 | |
| 7 | VAN ALPHEN Aniek | 777 | 3:42 |
| 8 | BACKSTEDT Zoe | 4:54 | |
| 9 |  ROCHETTE Maghalie | 5:45 | |
| 10 | MUNRO Madigan | TREK FACTORY RACING CX | 6:26 |
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