Belgian's Wout van Aert wins stage in first attempt at premiere cycling event
Before winning the 10th stage of the Tour de France on Monday, cycling phenom Wout van Aert was a regular participant in the World Cup of Cyclocross hosted at the annual Jingle Cross Festival in Iowa City, including winning the first of those races here in 2016.
“To just get invited to the tour is a big deal; even that is a huge honor,” said Jason McCartney, a retired professional cyclist who lives in Coralville and supports the Jingle Cross event. “It’s just amazing for him.”
This year’s Jingle Cross is scheduled for Sept. 13-15 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, with the men’s and women’s World Cup races Sept. 14.
The young Belgian with a resume of cyclocross wins across the globe turned heads Monday after out-sprinting some of the top distance cyclists in his first crack at the premiere cycling event of the year.