WATCH: Lost dog causes chaos as it goes on the run during Belgian cycling race (VIDEO)

Mathieu van der Poel was well-prepared for the challenge of his peers during Sunday's Vlaamse Druivencross race in Belgium but hadn't quite counted on the challenge of a certain four-legged friend.

Van der Poel was leading the race on the first lap when the dog, whose leash was still attached to his collar, raced onto the course and attempted to keep pace with the pacesetters. Video from the event was captured and has since gone viral on social media.

The video shows the canine first following Tom Pidcock and Quinten Hermans but, after appearing to briefly get distracted, soon became fixated on Van Der Poel's bike and chased its back wheel as the Belgian rider pounded the pedals towards the start of the second lap of the race.

Several people, fans and officials alike, attempted to catch the dog but the pup proved a tricky customer to apprehend. 

The unannounced entrant in the race was ultimately disqualified but did participate in it for another few hundred meters, even prompting one rider to dismount and unclip his shoes from his pedals. 

However, the interruption didn't prove too costly to the 24-year-old Van Der Poel as he crossed the finish line in first place proving that, once and for all, every dog does indeed have his day.