Mathieu van der Poel has welcomed the last-minute resolution by key rival Wout van Aert to participate within the Cyclo-cross World Championships subsequent Sunday.
Even although Van der Poel’s standing as prime favorite stays unaffected by Van Aert’s presence, the surprising announcement by the Belgian star will doubtless make for a way more fiercely competed battle for the rainbow jersey subsequent Sunday in Liévin, northern France.
Van der Poel has six World Championships to his title within the elite males’s race, however the Belgian has a complete of three, as effectively, from 2016-2018.
“A World Championships with or with out Wout is at all times completely different,” the Dutchman informed Nieuwsblad after his newest win in Hoogerheide on Sunday, his sixth straight victory in a row this season.
“It can solely make the Championships extra stunning, for the followers, too. And you by no means know with Wout. I’ve to maintain him in thoughts, similar to I do different riders.”
As for his choices on taking the World’s title for a seventh time in his profession and equalling Erik De Vlaeminck’s report, Van der Poel mentioned merely “It’s a report that I can equal subsequent Sunday. It’s been within the books for a very long time [since 1973 – Ed.] so which means one thing.”
“It’s one thing distinctive, however for me, a very powerful factor is that I develop into World Champion once more.”
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Despite getting a damaged rib in a crash within the Loenhout ‘cross, Van der Poel mentioned that he had been in appreciable ache through the now accomplished restoration from his damage, however with the fractured rib being fairly excessive up in his physique, he did not endure a lot on the bike itself. While coaching in Spain, in any case, “I felt I might do every thing that I needed to do.”
“The solely query mark was in regards to the ache through the cross itself. But I used to be at all times in a position to race. It was simply that it will have been much less nice.”
Van der Poel felt he was “near the most effective model of himself,” and pointed to his resolution to take a break by lacking the Benidorm World Cup as serving to to make sure he was subsequently in prime form because the Worlds approaches. But he informed Nieuwsblad that even when he had been in nice situation within the countdown to earlier Cyclo-cross World Championships, he had then gone on to lose.
“The race needs to be ridden,” he insisted. Plus, in fact, there have been his rivals to think about as effectively.
“There are a number of names I’m protecting in thoughts. Thibau Nys is somebody who can excel in World Championships, Michael Vanthourenhout as effectively And now there may be Wout.”
Meanwhile, within the Belgian camp, Van Aert’s resolution to race is taken into account an enormous enhance to the nation’s possibilities, with Angelo de Clercq, the National coach, telling Wielerflits, “There are various eventualities which you could title and with Wout, you’ve got an additional iron within the fireplace. You have somebody who is known as a chief.
“He by no means actually went there as a title favourite, however he nonetheless obtained to put on that rainbow jersey thrice. So he’s a contender, however Mathieu is the large favourite.”