Following his devastating efficiency within the Antwerp World Cup on Saturday, Alpecin-Deceuninck administration have acknowledged categorically that this season, Mathieu van der Poel is racing at his strongest ever in cyclocross.
Van der Poel struggled to clip into his pedals off the beginning line after which was held up by a crash on Saturday early on within the World Cup occasion however bounced again to dominate the sphere.
It was the Dutchman’s third win of three races this season and after his victory at Mol on Friday, his second in two days.
Praised by rivals and supporters alike, Alpecin-Deceuninck group administration argued that Van der Poel, a 5 occasions cyclocross World Champion, is surpassing even his personal exceptionally excessive requirements within the self-discipline.
Neither Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) nor Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), on paper his closest rivals, might come near Van de Poel on Sunday, with Van Aert putting second and Pidcock eighth.
“That is the perfect Mathieu I’ve ever seen in a cyclocross race,” Alpecin-Deceuninck head sports activities director Christoph Roodhoft instructed Het Nieuwsblad about his 28-year-old star. “For this time of the season, and we’re nonetheless within the countdown to New 12 months’s Eve, keep in mind – he’s by no means been higher.”
Roodhoft identified that Antwerp isn’t a course that lends itself to overtaking, and even so, “he clearly stood out above the remainder of the sphere.”
As for the the reason why, Roodhoft argued that with none outdoors components like accidents or sickness affecting him for greater than a yr, there was no purpose why Van der Poel couldn’t shine so brightly.
“The previous fourteen months have handed off easily; every part has gone in line with plan, and he has reached an age the place lots of issues are falling into place.”
“He feels good, technically, it’s virtually flawless, his bike is perfect, and his place is right. It is going simply high-quality, finish of story. And, after all, the place to begin is his pure expertise. Mathieu hasn’t misplaced many races previously ten years, has he?”
As for different causes, Roodhoft argued that Van der Poel’s transfer away from cycling-mad Belgium to Spain, the place there are fewer outdoors distractions, additionally acted not directly in his favour when it got here to preventing for the win.
“There may be at all times one thing occurring at dwelling in Belgium, even whether it is only a journey out to the recycling bins. He does not do way more than practice and relaxation there in Spain, you may finest evaluate it to an extended coaching camp. And also you merely use much less vitality to finish your coaching due to the higher climate circumstances.”
Roodhoft performed down the thought, although, that as Van der Poel was racing so strongly, he can be unattainable to beat all season. Referring to the early setbacks within the Antwerp World Cup, he mentioned that he even thought at one level that defeat might have occurred on Saturday.
“With out being conceited, it appears unlikely to me that there will likely be a contest this winter by which he doesn’t take part for the victory,” he instructed Het Nieuwsblad.
“It’s at all times doable to not win. Can Wout van Aert nonetheless beat him this season? Why not? I noticed a extremely motivated Wout van Aert within the final two laps of the race. The best way he rode to second place signifies that Wout is getting higher.”