Mathieu van der Poel will add an additional race to his cyclocross schedule forward of the World Championships, with the Dutchman set to journey both the X2O Trofee in Hamme or the Besançon World Cup on the weekend earlier than the primary occasion in Hoogerheide on February 5.
Van der Poel, winner of the X20 Trofree in Herentals on Tuesday, outlined his build-up to the Worlds in an interview with the In het Wiel podcast (opens in new tab).
As beforehand confirmed, Van der Poel will race the X2O Trofee in Koksijde on Thursday, the Zonhoven World Cup on Sunday, and the Benidorm World Cup on January 22.
He’s now additionally set to journey both in Hamme on January 28 or in Besançon the next day, ti give him an additional race earlier than the World Championships.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider will attend a coaching camp in Spain through the two-week block between the Zonhoven and Benidorm World Cup races.
“I hope to come back again just a bit bit higher after the camp, though my opponents will undoubtedly do the identical,” Van der Poel advised In het Wiel.
“I’ll journey a cross within the final weekend earlier than the World Cup, however I do not know which of the 2 but.”
Van der Poel claimed his fourth victory of the winter in Herentals on Tuesday following one other tussle together with his everlasting rival Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).
The pair solid clear on the second lap and traded blows thereafter, although the finale proved an anti-climax when a rear wheel puncture prevented Van Aert from contesting the ultimate kick to the road.
“I feel we have been evenly matched,” Van der Poel mentioned afterwards. “I had one thing left for the final half lap as a result of I needed to be the primary to dive into the technical half within the woods. Then Wout had a puncture. Too unhealthy he could not defend his probabilities.”
Van der Poel, who’s chasing a fifth rainbow jersey, and Van Aert, who’s in search of his fourth, are the overwhelming favourites for the Hoogerheide World Championships on February 5.
The present rainbow jersey, Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), has already confirmed that he won’t defend his title as he switches his focus to getting ready for the highway season and particularly the Spring Classics.
