Mathieu van der Poel takes stock two weeks before cyclo-cross Worlds with changed approach

Van der Poel had already explained beforehand why he ultimately chose to race in Benidorm. “The weather on Saturday was bad, so I had to take a rest day. That played a part. And I also just felt like cyclocrossing. I mostly had to convince my coach that it was possible, haha,” the Dutchman grinned.

If VDP comes to race, it’s generally not just to take part. After only one lap the World Cup in Benidorm was decided, something he had not foreseen. “I did not expect to be alone for so long,” he said afterwards.

“I thought it would be decided in the last lap like other years, but I decided to go for it immediately when Tibor accelerated. After that I made the race hard, because otherwise it can turn into a bit of a struggle here. I hoped that the riders behind me would watch each other, and that happened,” he explained his tactics.

After a good week of training, Van der Poel was able to take a nice stock. “I’m very happy. I’ve taken a step. I felt a bit tired after two good weeks of training, but I could still ride a good race. And I’m happy with that,” concluded the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider, who came across the line with a wheelie. “That’s somewhat easier on an uphill section,” he responded cheekily.

Van der Poel indicated at his first races that this winter he opted for a different approach because last year he felt more fatigue leading up to the Worlds. What does that look like now, two weeks before the World Championships? “I have the impression that it has succeeded. Despite the fatigue, I feel there’s more power overall, so I’m content with that.”

Last season the leader of Alpecin-Premier Tech said that he would like to also contest Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, a race he has never entered before. Does that renewed approach also have something to do with a possible earlier start to the season?

“That’s in the back of my mind, but I haven’t decided anything about it yet,” said Van der Poel, who plans to make his precise race programme together with his team only after the cyclocross winter.