'I’m very sad that Wout won’t be starting' - Mathieu van der Poel seems unbeatable as Van Aert misses first cyclocross race
All eyes were on the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider as he returned to cy♈clocross for the first time t🐻his season.
Six-time elite world cyclocross champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mathieu van der Poel is expected to peak later this cross season after dominating the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:World Cup round in Zonhoven.
Starting from the thiꦅrd row, the 29-year-old burst through the outside of the pack and took the lead just 🍌one minute and 12 seconds into the race.
Van der Poel’s lead stretched throughout the race to win by 1:30, as fellow mult❀i-discipline rider Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) was left chasing alone behind.
Van der Poel finished his road season ꧋with bronze at the world championships at the end of September before winning the Gravel World Championship𝓡 the following week.
The Dutch star is due to ride 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:11 events this cyclo-cross season, culminating in th🗹e World Championships in Lievin.
Meanwhile, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike) will not take on hiಌs fierce rival at Mol tomorrow (Monday) due to illness and is now scheduled to make his cyclocross debut at Lo♚enhout on December 27.
Christoph Roodhooft, team manager of Alpecin-Deceuninck, said that Van der Poel has taken a calไmer approach to his ‘cross campaign this winter and only completed two specific cyclocross sessions before 🧸heading into his first race.
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“He won't have been on the cross bike much yet. He has only included two specific cross training sessions,” Roodhooft told .
“That is the consequence of that program and of being a road cyclist. By the time it gets to the point where it bec𝓀omes really important, he will be at the same level."
Van der Poel is expected to once again combine his cyclocross training with his road goals after winning both the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix this campaig✃n.
“He has to train through the cross for♛ ꦦwhat is coming in March and April,” added Roodhooft.
“You have to make ⛄the puzzle fit together, that's all that has to happen in the cross.”
Van der Poel surprised himself by winning his maiden ‘cross race 🌄of the campaign by such a big margin following a different training approach.
“It was one of the best (first ‘cross races back) and one that I didn’t expect,𝔍 it’s really nice.”
“I did a different approach to my first race, a little less interval and more endurance rides to try aꩵnd get through this busy period a bit fresher than I did last year.
“ꦉI felt really good from the beginning and the technique was really good actually, so I’m happy.”
Van Aert has a different cyclocross programme this winter and was due to face Van der Poel for the first time in Mol to♏morrow.
However, Van♓ Aert has pulled o🦄ut of the race due to illness, according to his team.
“Unfortunately, Wout van Aert has 💎fallen ill and will not recover in time for tomorrow's race in Mol. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back in action soon,” Visma-Lease A Bike .
Reacting to the news that rival Van Aert will not be on the start-line alongside🅘 him at the Sup🎉erprestige event in Mol, Van der Poel said: “I’m very sad that Wout won’t be starting tomorrow (in Mol).
“I would have really liked to have racedꩲ against him. I’m sad that he’s not there tomorrow.
“I think Wout is always a ni♔ce opponent. It also brings a lot of extra people (to watch their battle), so that's a shame.”
Van Aert now has five races re🌸maining on his cyclocross calendar and is due to miss the World Ch🎐ampionships in Lievin.
Talking about Van der Poel’s approach, Roodhooft added to ,“Mathieu wanted to make it a real cross season, and not ta🅷ke three or four cro🐟sses and then call it quits.
“That was very clear from the beginning. It didn't seem like a good idea to turn the whole winter upsi♚de down, and then hardly do anything with it.
“Now it has a sporting added v♍alue, because we are also 100 percent convinced that cyclocr💮oss makes him better as a road cyclist.
“It's not just having fun. This will contribute toward🎐s the springℱ anyway.
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Ben raced as an amateur cyclist in the UK from a young age into the senior ranks on the road, track and in cyclocross. He has an NQJ qualification in journalism, and a sports journalism degree, and has spent over 10 years as a news and sports journalist. Ben has been covering cyclocross for media outlets, including Cyclingnews, since 2021 and has been on the ground reporting at World Championships in Zolder, Belvaux, Valke꧒nberg, Dubendorf, and Hoogerheide. Away from cycling as a freelance sports journalist, Ben regularly reports on a range of sports including football, rugby,🍌 and snooker amongst others. However, he is happiest whilst reporting on-site at cyclocross races in Belgium and the Netherlands.