Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) won the cyclo-cross race in Asper-Gavere. The Dutch champion delivered a show and arrived as a solo winner. It was his fourth win in a row in the Superprestige series. Wout Van Aert had another problem with his chain and finished second. Jaarmarktcross winner Toon Aerts completed the podium.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Van der Poel: It would be great to make it 8 out of 8

Winner van der Poel was obviously pleased with his victory even though he had not planned to ride solo so early. "I had actually hoped that a few riders would have followed by attack but that was not the case,” he told Het Nieuewslad. "I just continued to ride at my own rhythm and that proved to be enough to get the win here."

In the end, the Dutchman finally had a big gap to Wout van Aert and Toon Aerts. 

"I had expected more opposition from Wout but apparently he again had to deal with bad luck. I could kepp my pace despite the fact that this was my second race of the weekend. Luckily it was not a difficult race on Saturday. And it feels good to win two days in a row. I did not go to the pit often. I lept my bike and hoped that that there was not too much mud in my gear. When the gap was big enough, I would switch the bike."

After victories in the Superprestige races in Gieten, Zonhoven and Ruddervoorde, van der Poel has a big lead clear in the overall standings. 

"I have taken my fourth consecutive victory in the Superprestige and so I am still in the lead. Francorchamps will be a tough race. The other races in Diegem, Hoogstraten and Middelkerke suit me a lot better. It would be nice to get eight out of eight but for now that is not on the agenda. I am very happy to have this beautiful race in Gavere on my palmares.”

Frustrated Van Aert again set back by mechanical: I don’t know what’s wrong

Van Aert was obviously disappointed after the race. "More was possible," said the world champion. "I'm frustrated that I could not give everything. Sometimes you are unable to fight back. I rode at half power."

The question is of course whether Van Aert could have won without bad luck. He does not give a clear response. 

"I had been able to put Mathieu under pressure for longer. I did not have a great day, but it is a course that should suit me. But Mathieu was the best today, it's a deserved win.”

In the battle for the Superprestige win, the world champion has a deficit of four points. It is not insurmountable, but it will not be an easy task. 

"If it’s always the two of us fighting for the win, it will be very difficult. The overall is not over, but Mathieu is going to have an off day. And you don’t wish that for anyone."

Again Van Aert also had a mechanical. Before the halfway mark, he had problems with his chain for the umpteenth time this season. He and his team don’t know what’s wrong.

"It's really annoying, it makes me mad," Van Aert announced after the race. "Every time we think that we have found the solution. But those small adjustments prove to be insufficient. Now I have experienced it two weeks in a row. In training it works well and there has never been anything wrong. I can only hope that it is resolved quickly. A rider must have confidence in his equipment, which is not the case now. It plays with your mind. "

Already during the race, team leader Niels Albert spoke to the press. "We do not know what's going on. In training Wout never has problems. We can only guess about the cause."

That the team takes to the problems serious became apparent during the race. A US delegation from bike sponsor Colnago had travelled to Gavere and immediately checked the bike after the bike change.

Toon Aerts: It feels like a victory to be third behind those two

European champion Toon Aerts again showed his superb form with a third place in Gavere. He was extremely satisfied. 

"For the time being, I am still on my cloud. It is very good and I hope I have some good weeks - and years – ahead of me. Today I had some fear of the course so that third place has extra significance. It feels like a victory to be on the podium with those two.”

Aerts had a close fight with Kevin Pauwels. 

"In the beginning I could benefit a little from him until when we caught Tom [Meeusen]. Then it became clear that we were fighting for third place. In certain sections, I felt that I was better and pulled through. I hope I can continue to excel in the next few weeks. I have made a lot of progress. "