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On December 28th, it was Toon Aerts who was the first to dive into the mud after the long starting strip. In his fall, World Champion Wout Van Aert and European Champion Mathieu van der Poel followed quickly. The weather gods ensured that several passages were transformed into real mud pools. The first dredging zone was immediately the signal for van Aert to open the gas for the first time. Grand rival Van der Poel drove and had to give up some positions. Van Aert moved on and Laurens Sweeck got along in his wake.

In round two, van der Poel closed the small gap with all the other toppers in his track. Only Lars Van der Haar was missing. The Dutchman missed his start and after two laps he already faced a 31-second delay. Immediately the signal for van der Poel to shake the tree. The breakaway broke in two, and only Aert, Aerts, Michael Vantourenhout, Tim Merlier and Corné Van Kessel could participate.

Still, the pace in the front was not high enough for the van der Poel season. Van Aert had let himself be drummed away and quickly followed up with ten of his companions. Van Aert moved heaven and earth but the bird had started to fly. A bit over halfway cross, Van der Poel's lead, on first chasers of Aert and Aerts, had already risen to 20 seconds.

Van der Poel consolidated his lead and soloed his way to his 20th victory of the season. World champion Van Aert finished second in 35 seconds. Aerts was third on the podium.

Maud Kaptheijns took the start for her account, but was still in the first round. Helen Wyman and Eva Lechner tried to take over the command, but did not get any space from Sanne Cant. Third time's the charm. An acceleration of Lucinda Brand did result in separation. Only Cant could follow the pace of the Dutch winner in the Waasland Cross last week.

Katie Compton tried after a long chase to close the gap with the leading duo, but a new acceleration - this time by Cant - cut the American off. It also went too fast for Brand. Cant dominated and controlled. Fire struggled in the final round, but Cant could not keep victory number 101 anymore. For the Lilse the third victory in a row in the Azencross and her fourth triumph this season in the IJsboerke Ladies Trophy.

The next race of the DVV Verzekeringen Trofee takes place on January 1st in Baal.

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