A 100% successful weekend of cyclocross racing in Belgium for Mathieu van der Poel, who won the third round of the DVV Trofee, the Urban Cross in Kortrijk, on Saturday, and swept the podium of the Corendon-Circus in the Zilvermeercross in Mol on Sunday. was a 100% successful weekend.

Each of the elite women's races were won by Dutch champion Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise Lions) on Saturday and Laura Verdonschot (Pauwels Sausen-Bingoel) on Sunday.

Van der Pol's dominance, following a very successful 2019 road season that included three stage wins and overall victories at Amstel Gold, Dwars door Hlaanderen, and the Tour of Britain, returned to the "cross" this winter, and the DVV on Saturday in Kortrijk continued in the new round of the Trophy.

He initially appeared to toy with his rivals, perhaps giving them a false sense of security that he might be able to win. But the moment he attacked, he left his rivals behind, leading the pair of Toon Aerts and Corne van Kessel of the Telenet Baloise Lions and Eli Iserbitt and Michael Vanthourenhout of the Pauwels Sausen Bingaul, Tim Merlier ( Clairfin Fristads) by about 30 seconds to win the race.

While Van der Pol's continued dominance was the main topic of discussion, the on-bike altercation between Iserbyt and Van Tulenhout was another. Van der Poel expressed frustration that series leader Iserbitt appeared to have reeled in Van der Poel while Van der Poel was alone in the chase.

Both riders later denied the incident, but Yzerbitt remains the overall series leader with a 2:10 lead over Van der Poel.

In the women's race, Brand won ahead of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Corendon Circus), with 777's Annemarie Worst in third place by another 16 seconds. In the overall standings, Worst trails teammate Yara Castellane by only 4 seconds.

The Gilbermere Cross is a somewhat minor event, not part of the World Cup, Superprestige Series, or DVV Trophy. Many top riders took a rest after Saturday's race, but no one seemed to tell Mathieu Van Der Pol that he should take a break.

The 24-year-old enjoyed racing with his Corendon Circus teammate Tom Meesen and his brother, David Van der Pol. He finished ahead of Miesen and David and looked ahead to next weekend's Superprestige Round 5 in Sonnhofen, Belgium.

In the women's race, Verdonschot won the sandy course, ahead of Dutchmen Shirin van Unrooy and Inge van der Heijden (CCC-Liv).