Mathieu van der Pol (Alpecin Deceuninck) crashed in the Superprestige Boom on Saturday, injuring his left knee and shoulder.

The Dutch rider finished the race more than three minutes behind the day's winner, world champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), but is fit enough to compete in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Antwerp on Sunday He was confirmed.

"I was screaming at the equipment post and I wasn't concentrating enough in that corner. I hurt my shoulder and knee a lot," van der Pol said in a post-race interview with Sporza (opens in new tab).

Starting from the fourth row, van der Pol caught up to Pidcock at the front of the race within minutes. However, just after the mechanics pitted, he suddenly crashed on a slippery cobblestone section.

Pidcock also crashed in this crash, but managed to recover and lead the race.

Van der Pol hit the ground hard, injuring his left knee and shoulder. He remained sitting on the circuit for a few seconds, but quickly got back on his bike and shook his head.

He then got off his bike to climb the grassy hill, dragging his injured left knee. He got back on the bike and rode calmly through the next section of the circuit, seemingly assessing the extent of his injury.

Although out of contention for the win, he continued to race, gaining speed with each lap. At one point he even set the fastest lap of the race, but he was three minutes too far back to challenge for the top ten.

"I was a bit surprised too. I was trying not to stiffen up and get into a rhythm with the crosses, especially in the first two races. I had some pain in my shoulder and knee, especially in the first two races, but in the end it got a little better," van der Pol said.

"I didn't have to keep driving, but after a crash it is often better. It didn't really work at first. But I just couldn't find my rhythm."

Van der Pol said he intends to compete in the next round of the cyclocross world cup in Antwerp on Sunday.