After the fall of Van Aert, which led him to finish the race without a saddle but still win, this is the unfortunate event that led Van der Poel to lose ground just before the last lap, subsequently finishing in 5th place. Mathieu hit his left shoulder on a post causing pain and some abrasions on his knee, and thus saw his dream of winning his eleventh consecutive victory vanish.
After the sand section I took a large stake (light pole, ed.), I thought it was softer but it wasn't and I went to the ground. There I realized that the race was over – Mathieu Van der Poel
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