Questions surround the form of the Dutch track sprinters and a rival in top shape: what can we expect at the World Championships?

Cycling
Wednesday, 22 October 2025 at 13:39
harrie lavreysen jeffrey hoogland roy van den berg
Thursday marks the start of the World Championships in track cycling in Santiago, Chile. The Netherlands has long been the country to beat on the track, but this year, the men's competition is marked by more uncertainties than ever. The sprinters are facing questions at the start, and the competition is stronger than ever. What can we expect from Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland?
Hoogland missed the European Track Cycling Championships, and Roy van den Berg also skipped the tournament. They opted for a rest period, so the Team Sprinters had to continue in an improvised line-up. Hoogland even had doubts about his future, but in Chile, the Bullet Train is back at full strength. “If I didn't have Los Angeles in the back of my mind, I wouldn't be here,” he tells the NOS.
This immediately clarifies the main goal of the 32-year-old track sprinter: he will focus on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. There, he hopes to win a third gold medal. The rest period was important in his decision. “I didn't stop strength training during that period, but I have been feeling better since then. I enjoy working every day again and have managed to rediscover the fun.”
Fun is the keyword. He lost sight of that for a while, but now Hoogland remembers why he is a track cyclist. The Olympic cycle has therefore started again. “But it was also said that it shouldn't be a half-hearted effort. That's not the case, but I don't do well with a robotic structure like Harrie and Roy can.”
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jeffrey hoogland

Lavreysen with different preparation, and full of question marks

Hoogland's level at the World Championships remains to be seen. The same goes for Lavreysen. He approached the tournament in South America in a completely different way, and the competition is in top form. In March, Britain's Matthew Richardson broke the world record in the 200 meters. “Do I feel threatened? Always, I think,” says Lavreysen. “But now a little more, yes. I think it's going to be one of the most difficult World Championships in recent years.”
With his new approach, Hattrick Harrie is unsure of his standing. “I've been able to do a lot more strength training in recent years because I was actually racing all the time. I've become physically stronger, which is very interesting. I've been able to convert that into speed, but I really can't say what that will mean at the World Championships.”
Richardson is ready for the battle, but Lavreysen hopes to counter him. “What Richardson is very good at is suddenly delivering a full explosion. I've focused on that, and I've improved a lot. My top speed was slightly higher than his, although I don't know how it is now. But I hope I can still do that. And I have more stamina.”
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harrie lavreysen

Matthew Richardson, major challenger or top favorite?

In August, Richardson broke his own record and went below 9 seconds in the 200 meters for the first time in history. A day later, he improved that time again: 8.857 seconds. ‘“It hurt a lot. It was only 200 meters, but it was tough,” he recently told NOS. In Chile, the Brit, who traded his Australian nationality in 2024, will be Lavreysen’s major challenger.
But the sprinter is not sure of his chances. “Harrie beats me in every other race I compete in. It will come down to who has learned the most about the other in the meantime and who can outsmart the other. We are equally fast.” It will be Richardson's first World Championships in the colors of Great Britain, after he made the switch from Australia in 2024. That sparked a huge storm of criticism and controversy.
The Australian federation imposed a heavy penalty on him, although the federation's request for a suspension from the UCI did not materialize. That is now a thing of the past. “The support I received from the UK was amazing. All the negativity came from Australia, the country I no longer ride for,” Richardson remains level-headed. “It didn't stop me from performing well and training hard.”
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National coach Haak: "I think Harrie will come out on top"

It promises to be a great duel between the two fastest men in the world. National coach Hugo Haak is confident that his protégé can emerge victorious. “We have to go into the fight with everything we've got,” says the former track cyclist. “I think we can do it, and I think he's in excellent shape. Ultimately, I think Harrie will come out on top.”
Based on what? “On the times we see in training, how experienced he is in the game. I think he's still the best at the moment.” On Thursday at 1:06 AM Dutch time, Lavreysen, Hoogland, and Van den Berg will compete in the Team Sprint. On Sunday, Lavreysen and Richardson will participate in the sprint, hopefully resulting in an exciting final between the two rivals.

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