Van der Poel "feeling good" in Renewi Tour, but World Championship chances still slim

“The end of the season is approaching. You can see that in the rest of the peloton,” concluded sports manager Christoph Roodhooft after the race in Het Laatste Nieuws. Van der Poel was beaten on Sunday by the only rider who was not allowed to win, although the Dutchman did try another tactic. “To win here, I had to make it tough. I also heard that De Lie had been dropped a few times.”

Nevertheless, De Lie came back and the Belgian won with an impressive sprint. This also secured the Lotto sprinter the overall victory. “Amazingly, he was still able to do that,” van der Poel praised the overall winner.

In any case, it was clear beforehand why the Dutchman had traveled to the Renewi Tour. “I want to gain some competition here ahead of next Sunday's World Cup in Les Gets,” Van der Poel told us earlier. “It will be a good final test ahead of the World Championships, but it's not like I'm racing the Renewi Tour with the World Championships in mind. This week is for general fitness, after that I can really train on the mountain bike.”

In the end, that approach seems to have paid off. “I'm positive about my form,” the Dutchman concluded on Sunday after the fifth and final stage of the Renewi Tour. “This was exactly what I needed. The effort I had to put in during the final was very similar to that in a mountain bike race.”

Roodhooft also reflected on the week with satisfaction. “Mathieu is doing well. There were no doubts, but he hadn't been on a mountain bike for a while, and we'll make up for that this week. We're leaving for Les Gets on Wednesday,” said the Belgian.

So the focus is now entirely on the World Championships in Crans Montana. "I rode the mountain bike a few times in advance to get used to the position, which is the biggest adjustment for me. The technique will come naturally once I can ride the course every day starting Wednesday. I did the same thing in May in the run-up to Nove Mesto, but now I hope to make it to the finish,“ he said, referring to his crash in the Czech Republic earlier this year.

Van der Poel's approach to Switzerland is no secret. ”I don't see the World Championships as a bonus, but as the main prize." Nevertheless, the Dutchman remains realistic. “I'm starting from the fourth row, and in mountain biking, the start is even more important than in cyclo-cross. The chance of me becoming world champion is still just as slim after this week, but I do think I've made a difference in terms of fitness this week. Now, a few days of rest, and then Les Gets will be the real test.”