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The UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Hulst, famous for its iconic windmill, offered Wout van Aert yet another opportunity to blow his rivals away and continue his winning streak.

Tom Pidcock, Eli Iserbyt, Lars van der Haar lined up in hopes that the challenging, technical course might offer a headwind to stall the tall Belgian's forward progress. Forecasts predicted 23mph gusts. Would that be enough?

The three rocketed off the line led by holeshot winner Van der Haar. Could the course, filled with steep vertical climbs and descents, offer up an advantage for those vertically challenged?

Lars van der Haar had a fast start on home turf and held on for third. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Lars van der Haar had a fast start on home turf and held on for third. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Within a minute of the start, fans got their answer and Van Aert's rivals got their wish, not through a blowing wind, but chain suck.

Van Aert dropped his chain on a climb into an off-camber, considerately pulled off to the side with Pidcock passing and Iserbyt and Van der Haar already ahead, and watched his chances of staying undefeated this season ride away.

https://twitter.com/UCIcyclocrossWC/status/1477644029466656768

Van Aert lost 25 seconds in the ordeal, and was caught behind traffic for the first few laps on a course that was filled with bottlenecks.

Each lap, he moved up a handful of places, but lost time, losing another ten seconds on Lap Two.

Tom Pidcock took one step up from his second on Saturday to win Sunday's World Cup. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Tom Pidcock took one step up from his second on Saturday to win Sunday's World Cup. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Up ahead, the race was on for the win. Pidcock and Iserbyt got by Van der Haar, and the two rivals were once again in a familiar position of battling each other for the win.

https://twitter.com/UCIcyclocrossWC/status/1477651390226960385

Pidcock, the Olympic mountain bike champ, appeared to have an advantage on the steep descents and climbs, and pulled out a few seconds in the final laps to take his second Elite World Cup win.

Tom Pidcock took one step up from his second on Saturday to win Sunday's World Cup. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Tom Pidcock took one step up from his second on Saturday to win Sunday's World Cup. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

https://twitter.com/UCIcyclocrossWC/status/1477660064022470659

Iserbyt rolled in for second, pointing to his sponsors as he crossed the line, while Van der Haar finished third on home turf.

For the second day in a row, Eli Iserbyt battled rival Pidcock but finished just behind. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

For the second day in a row, Eli Iserbyt battled rival Pidcock but finished just behind. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Van Aert continued his steady climb up from his first-lap mechanical to finish fourth, but over a minute in arrears.

They might not be tall, but they're cyclocross giants. Iserbyt, Pidcock and Van der Haar. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

They might not be tall, but they're cyclocross giants. Iserbyt, Pidcock and Van der Haar. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Highlights, photos and results below.

https://twitter.com/UCIcyclocrossWC/status/1477677764069183491

2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Hulst Results: Elite Men

PosNrName / UCI Cyclocross TeamNATTimeGap
1.51PIDCOCK Thomas
INEOS GRENADIERS
GBR1:03:49-
2.15ISERBYT Eli
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:04:01+0:12
3.2VAN DER HAAR Lars
BALOISE TREK LIONS
NED1:04:22+0:33
4.14VAN AERT Wout
JUMBO-VISMA
BEL1:04:58+1:09
5.16AERTS Toon
BALOISE TREK LIONS
BEL1:05:19+1:30
6.18VANTHOURENHOUT Michael
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:05:30+1:41
7.17HERMANS Quinten
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
BEL1:05:37+1:48
8.19SWEECK Laurens
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:05:46+1:57
9.20BAESTAENS Vincent
CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES
BEL1:05:57+2:08
10.23VANDEBOSCH Toon
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:06:00+2:11
11.21SOETE Daan
CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES
BEL1:06:07+2:18
12.34KUHN Kevin
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
SUI1:06:16+2:27
13.27MERLIER Tim
ALPECIN - FENIX
BEL1:06:30+2:41
14.25VERSTRYNGE Emiel
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
BEL1:06:35+2:46
15.52MASON Cameron
TRINITY RACING
GBR1:06:38+2:49
16.37ORTS LLORET Felipe
BURGOS-BH
ESP1:07:03+3:14
17.6HENDRIKX Mees
IKO - CRELAN
NED1:07:16+3:27
18.54TURNER Ben
INEOS GRENADIERS
GBR1:07:28+3:39
19.4KAMP Ryan
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
NED1:07:38+3:49
20.28VENTURINI Clement
AG2R CITROEN TEAM
FRA1:07:41+3:52
21.22VANDEPUTTE Niels
ALPECIN - FENIX
BEL1:08:20+4:31
22.43BOROS MichaelCZE1:08:29+4:40
23.69MEISEN MarcelGER1:08:58+5:09
24.29THOMAS Theo
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
FRA1:09:01+5:12
25.9GODRIE StanNED1:09:12+5:23
26.38SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Kevin
NESTA - MMR CX TEAM
ESP1:09:17+5:28
27.57WHITE Curtis
CANNONDALE/CYCLOCROSSWORLD
USA1:09:23+5:34
28.11DEL GROSSO TiborNED1:09:27+5:38
29.26WYSEURE Joran
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
BEL1:09:29+5:40
30.24AERTS Thijs
BALOISE TREK LIONS
BEL1:09:32+5:43
31.78KONWA MarekPOL1:09:38+5:49
32.53MEIN Thomas
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
GBR1:09:47+5:58
33.60FUNSTON ScottUSA1:09:50+6:01
34.58WERNER KerryUSA1:09:54+6:05
35.46PAPRSTKA TomasCZE1:10:01+6:12
36.8VERBURG LukeNED-1 LAP
37.30GUILLAUD Valentin
TEAM GUEVEL IMMOBILIER LAVAL CYCLISME 53
FRA-1 LAP
38.56MCGUIRE RoryGBR-1 LAP
39.42ULIK MatejSVK-1 LAP
40.7VAN DER MEER GosseNED-1 LAP
41.39JUNQUERA SAN MILLAN Mario
UNICAJA BANCO - GIJON
ESP-2 LAP
42.10GROENENDAAL BaileyNED-2 LAP
43.32GABRIEL TimotheFRA-2 LAP
44.62STROHMEYER AndrewUSA-2 LAP
45.33FINE Eddy
COFIDIS
FRA-2 LAP
46.31PHILIBERT Aurelien
ARDENNES CROSS TEAM GECIBAT
FRA-2 LAP
47.61SWARTZ CalebUSA-2 LAP
48.76VAN DEN HAM MichaelCAN-3 LAP
49.12KARS HugoNED-3 LAP
50.63NOEL SamUSA-3 LAP
51.13VAN LIEROP DannyNED-3 LAP
52.71HERRMANN Lukas
SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN
GER-3 LAP
53.72TOEMKE Pascal
SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN
GER-3 LAP
54.47MAYER DanielCZE-3 LAP
55.80LELIVELD MattCAN-3 LAP
56.70HAMM Florian
SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN
GER-4 LAP
57.74HAUSSLER Heinrich
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
AUS-4 LAP
58.49HULA RobertCZE-4 LAP
59.79KOSTECKI PatrykPOL-4 LAP
60.73HARTER LucaGER-4 LAP
61.65SERVETAS TommyUSA-4 LAP
62.64VAN KEMPEN JulesUSA-4 LAP
63.50KUCERA JakubCZE-4 LAP
64.81BRISEBOIS HugoCAN-4 LAP
65.67CLOUTIER TylerUSA-5 LAP
66.66BROWN SamUSA-5 LAP
67.44PETRUS LubomirCZE-5 LAP
68.77NOLAN SeanIRL-5 LAP
69.75HEIGL PhilippAUT-5 LAP
3VAN KESSEL Corne
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
NEDDNF
5VAN DER POEL David
ALPECIN - FENIX
NEDDNF
55CARRICK-ANDERSON CorranGBRDNS
40PERICAS FIGUERAS ArnauESPDNS
45VANICEK SimonCZEDNS
48RIMAN JakubCZEDNS
41SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Alain
NESTA - MMR CX TEAM
ESPDNS

2022 Hulst Cyclocross World Cup Photo Gallery: Elite Men

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For the second day in a row, Eli Iserbyt battled rival Pidcock but finished just behind. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

For the second day in a row, Eli Iserbyt battled rival Pidcock but finished just behind. 2022 Hulst UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

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