Mathieu van der Poel is predicted to make a profitable return to cyclocross in Herentals on Saturday, with the present world champion prone to be higher than main rivals Tom Pidcock and the remainder of the sector for the X²O Badkamers Trofee race.
“It was a bit of cake for Wout, it is going to be a walkover for Mathieu,” former world champion turned pundit Niels Albert informed Het Laatste Nieuws.
Van Aert gained his first cyclocross race of the winter final week in Essen. He’ll solely go face to face with Van der Poel subsequent weekend in Mol, earlier than 5 extra showdowns between the so-called ‘massive three’ through the holidays.
Het Laatste Nieuws studied the file books and, since turning skilled, Van der Poel has gained seven of his 9 of his first races of the season whereas Pidcock normally wants a couple of races to search out his cyclocross type.
Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Pidcock are specializing in their highway race coaching fairly than cyclocross this winter and have most well-liked crew camps in Spain to the chilly of Belgium.
Van der Poel confirmed off his cyclocross rainbow jersey and new white bike in an Instagram video, writing: “Prepared to enter overdrive.”
The Dutchman is concentrated on peaking for the cyclocross World Championships in February however his Alpecin-Deceuninck crew supervisor Christoph Roodhooft is assured about his debut.
“I anticipate a greater than respectable Mathieu in Herentals. He is actually ok,” Roodhooft stated.
“Up to now, when Mathieu began his cyclocross, highway or MTB season, he was normally fairly near victory. I anticipate that tomorrow (Saturday) too.”
Nonetheless, Roodhooft can also be seeking to the long run and greater objectives.
“It is crucial for us that he can work properly in direction of the World Championships. The larger purpose is then one other month and a half later on the Tour of Flanders and the week after (Paris-Roubaix).”
