Van der Poel vs. Van Aert on the horizon, but Alpecin boss Roodhooft remains cautious: "Don’t expect too much"

"I do expect Mathieu to perform well," he told VTM Nieuws. Van der Poel will first compete on Sunday in Zonhoven. "However, much will depend on how strong the others are. I have already seen lots of great races this season, but it’s still hard to really gauge the overall level. Are the young riders who are breaking through really that good, or are the established names slightly off their game? We won't know until Mathieu joins the action."

As to whether the world champion will immediately contend for victory, Roodhooft remains cautious. "I don’t want to expect too much. If you say he’ll struggle and that turns out not to be the case, it would be lame. And saying that you expect him to win easily, that will just create unnecessary pressure. One thing is certain: Van der Poel is ready. We have a clear plan of ten cyclo-cross races mapped out leading up to the World Championships."

Roodhooft is hopeful that the Van der Poel-Van Aert rivalry will already result in a duel in Mol. "It would, of course, be amazing if both Mathieu and Wout are competitive, and if we get some moments like those from two years ago in Diegem, or the World Championships in Hoogerheide. Those were highlights for the sport and for its legacy. But to be honest, I fear moments like those won’t come back so easily." Meanwhile, rivals of the two superstars are less enthusiastic about the media frenzy surrounding their return. Michael Vanthourenhout, for one, has already had enough of the attention.