Aerts hoping absence of Van der Poel and Van Aert will help him reclaim World Cup crown

Toon Aerts Hoogerheide World Cup 2020
Toon Aerts in the World Cup leader's jersey in 2020 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Two-time UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup series winner Toon Aerts is ready to reclaim the title after missing out in the 2020-2021 season. He'll have four Baloise Trek Lions teammates to aid in his quest, which begins Sunday afternoon in Waterloo.

Aerts comes to Wisconsin as the number one-ranked rider in the UCI cyclo-cross rankings and has high expectations for the entire year. What he won't find in the US are the two rivals who have been part of many World Cup duels, as Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) will not be in the Waterloo-Fayetteville-Iowa City rotation because of their road calendars.

Jackie Tyson
North American Production editor

Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).