During the first day of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships on the North Sea coast in Koksijde, Belgium, the favorites lived up to their reputations. The wins in the Junior Men and Men Under 23 categories from Dutchmen Mathieu van der Poel and Lars van der Haar on the sandy course didn't quite come as easy as most expected with Belgians Wout Van Aert and Wietse Bosmans falling just short of a surprise victory.