Mathieu van der Poel was a part of a bunch previewing the course for the elite males’s street race on the UCI Biking World Championships in Glasgow and got here away feeling that whilst a favorite, the possibility of successful the rainbow jersey “remains to be small”.
The Dutchman is a most important favorite for Sunday’s elite males’s street race after successful Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo this season however predicts that challenges in sustaining place within the peloton and ample alternatives to assault as causes the race shall be troublesome in effort and techniques.
Talking to Dutch journalists, Van der Poel would not single out his high rivals for the rainbow jersey. “I can identify names. However so many riders can win right here that I do not dare. I personally am additionally a part of that, though whilst a favorite the possibility remains to be small that you’ll really win,” he mentioned, in response to Wielerflits.
Van der Poel famous the various corners on town circuit and the way troublesome the race shall be to regulate. The circuit introduced again reminiscences of the 2018 European Street Championships that have been held in Glasgow, the place Matteo Trentin beat him and Wout van Aert from a shattered main group to take the title.
“I acknowledged rather a lot from the European Championship in 2018, despite the fact that that was some time in the past. It looks like there are much more corners added to this circuit. It’s virtually racing from nook to nook,” he mentioned, including that it was virtually too technical. “Particularly since we’re racing that loop for a very long time. Possibly it could have been higher with a barely longer run-up and some much less laps on the circuit. Now it is atypical, one thing we’re not used to.
“It’s going to be very gruelling – a race of attrition – though, on the similar time, I feel this can be a particularly reasonable course. As a result of accumulation of efforts, will probably be very troublesome in the long run. Positioning is essential; everybody is aware of that. Am I pleased with it? We’ll have to attend and see, however usually it must be one thing that fits me. It is very important trip on the entrance and race as concentrated as doable.”
Van der Poel says that as a result of technical nature of the course, any stroke of dangerous luck may imply much more further effort to return than on different programs.
“You’ll actually have a whole lot of work to get again to the entrance,” he mentioned. “The ‘longest’ straight can be not very lengthy. When you’re within the entrance, you’ll be able to sit there for fairly some time. There are only a few overtaking alternatives.”
The turns may even make it simple for attackers to shortly get out of sight of the peloton, making the race much less predictable.
“You possibly can assault anyplace on this circuit. Not simply on the uphill sections. There are nonetheless so many troublesome intermediate elements the place attacking pays off. As a result of there isn’t any communication and also you race in nationwide groups, it is going to even be an uncontrolled course. These two components imply that the World Championships will all the time be an odd race. However the hardest half shall be to not miss the nice breakaway.”
There are two brief however steep climbs close to the top of the lap on Scott Road and Montrose Road, and whereas not laborious by Tour de France requirements, it is going to put on riders down after 11 laps.
“It is OK as soon as, but when it’s important to dash up it each lap – identical to the opposite 5, by the way in which – that can weigh on you. It has some actually nasty bits in it. That is why positioning is so essential, which may even make it extra hectic. However the truth is, in case you’re too far again, three corners later, you are still sprinting to maintain the wheel.
“Should you actually are the strongest, you may make a distinction on these two steep slopes. Solely that’s apparent. However once more, the principle factor is to remain alert. The decisive transfer can go away anyplace right here. On the European Championships in 2018, we additionally acquired away at a really unusual second between the climbs. All of the sudden that was good. That may additionally occur at any time on Sunday, after which it’s important to be comfy. Break free and get twenty seconds, and you’ll hardly see the peloton once more.”
Van der Poel is not targeted on any single rider – be it the Belgian trifecta of defending champion Remco Evenepoel, sprinter Jasper Philipsen, or his Classics rival Wout van Aert.
“You should not focus an excessive amount of on one individual, I feel. That is additionally the issue with a course like this. There are a whole lot of riders who know they must assault early. We could have a really lengthy last, I’m satisfied of that. It is laborious to determine who to focus on proper now. There are particular international locations the place I feel we must always all the time be sure that we’re on board. Belgium, however I’m additionally considering of Denmark. Mads Pedersen was actually robust within the Tour de France and is all the time there on the Worlds, they usually even have good riders. An important factor is that we don’t race behind the information.”
The elite males’s street race begins in Edinburgh on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. UK time with an anticipated end round 4:00 p.m. Observe the race reside with Cyclingnews and return for full stories, information, evaluation and extra.