While we anxiously await the return of top-level UCI cyclocross, former cyclocross world champions are making waves in the pavement pond today.
Wout van Aert Medals at TT Worlds
After countless Wout Wows during the 2020 Tour de France, Wout van Aert turned his sights on the time trial at the 2020 UCI World Championships in Imola, Italy.
The three-time cyclocross world champ was excited about the short, flat course that put an emphasis on power.
The Belgian flew through the second half of the course to finish with the fastest time and boot Brit Geraint Thomas out of the hot seat by 10 seconds.
The time wouldn’t last, however, as Italian Filippo Ganna dominated the short 37.1km course to beat Van Aert by 27 seconds. Swiss Stefan Kung finished third.
“I started hard, but couldn’t hold it in the second part for the intermediate point,” Van Aert said after his race (translated).
The time trial was Ganna’s attempt at the Worlds road time trial, but the Italian has won four world titles on the velodrome.
Van Aert will now focus on Sunday’s road race.
Tom Pidcock Jumps to WorldTour Team
Cyclocross Worlds Elite Men’s silver medalist Tom Pidock will now take his talents from Trinity Racing to the WorldTour, signing with one of the biggest teams in cycling, INEOS Grenadiers.
The signing of the former U23 and Junior Men’s cyclocross world champ was just one of four signings announced by the team today.
Pidcock will line up with Van Aert at the Elite Men’s world championship road race on Sunday.
We wish both cyclocross stars continued good luck on the pavement, but hope they won’t abandon their mud-covered roots.
