Van der Poel prefers Liège and rules out half a Tour de France: "There are options on the table"

The first major casualty is Strade Bianche. While Van der Poel began his season there in 2023, in 2024 he plans to focus on races "from Milan-San Remo to Paris-Roubaix". He indicates to Het Nieuwsblad that Liège-Bastogne-Liège is "an option, but not a certainty".  An extended spring is the goal, which is why he has been training in Spain for weeks. "I am trying to expand my base form with endurance training to stretch out my spring season. I definitely aim to be in my best form for Liège, but I am realistic. If riders like Tadej Pogacar or Remco Evenepoel attack on La Redoute, it’s almost impossible for me to keep up due to the weight difference."

Another crucial decision awaits in the summer. Will Van der Poel ride the Tour de France? What's the best preparation for the Olympics? "Currently, there are three options on the table. Either I ride the Tour and then only do the road race at the Olympics. Or I don't do the Tour and then at the World Championships, I participate in both the road race and mountain biking. What I definitely won't do is ride the Tour and then leave early as I did for Tokyo. The Olympic road race is two weeks after the Tour, which is actually ideal. It's similar to the World Championships in Glasgow this year, where I reached a high level after riding the Tour. But the mountain bike event is too soon, one week after the Tour. I can't reach my best level then."

Since the Giro d'Italia is not an option due to a longer spring season, Van der Poel will ride the Vuelta a España if he opts for mountain biking in the summer. The Vuelta would then serve as the final push towards the World Championships. However, there's another possibility for the Dutch leader. "The third option on the table is to do both the Tour and the Vuelta. Ultimately, I will decide, in consultation with the team." Remco Evenepoel, Van der Poel's training partner in Spain these days, will not influence his decision. "Our relationship is different than with Wout (van Aert, ed.) as we are less of competitors. Maybe in Liège, but I don't know if he really sees me as a competitor there."