Cyclist Eats It Straight Into Barrier, Still Wins

This here’s Wout Van Aert, one of cyclocross’ biggest rising stars. He’s only 21, but he won the Belgian nationals today (cyclocross is to Belgium as, say, football is to America, so that’s a huge deal) and he took 2015's Superprestige competition.

Since cyclocross is an openly antagonistic sport, even the best riders crash all the time. While on his solo break, Van Aert ate it straight into a barrier and a mud puddle, but he got back up and won easily.

Later, in the U23 race, a big ole crash happened right at the starting line, as all the young Belgians vied to win the holeshot and get out in front.

Road season starts next week.

Photo via Getty; h/t Sticky Bottle & Nick