It must be the time of year and maybe even the feeling that something was missing, Van der Poel's return to cyclocross suggests the end of a messianic wait, which will be complete next Saturday, when Van Aert will also return to Antwerp. And that will be the first derby in the mud, the first of the five clashes between the two giants.
Van der Poel returned from Spain earlier this week and the fact that he chose to debut Namur It makes one think that his level is really very highThe Dutchman is not one to run knowing he will be beaten and evidently his performances are up to the situation.
"Until a few years ago," comments his team manager Christoph Roodhooft, "he wouldn't have dared to start again from Namur. But as an athlete, he has evolved to such a level that is ready to debut on such a challenging courseHe could have made things much easier for himself by choosing next weekend, against Antwerp and Koksijde. Initially, that was the starting point for his season, but Mathieu feels good and has the confidence to face this challenge. Do I expect him to win? In every cyclocross race Mathieu enters, we expect him to win.He himself expects it, everyone expects it."
Four weeks of stoppage
It seems like rereading the words spoken yesterday by Giuseppe Martinelli, albeit in the very different context of stage races. The philosophy, however, is the same and the ability and ease of preparing for the race without running, combined with the immense class of the athlete in question, makes victory the primary option. Not the only one, but almost.
Van del Poel closed the summer season in mid-September with the bitter taste in the mouth for the 29th place at mountain bike world championships from Crans Montana, on which he had instead placed a lot of hope. Mountain biking continues to push him away, the technical gap It seems unbridgeable. It will be interesting to see if he decides to let it go sooner or later and focus on cyclocross, where winning comes much… easier for him.
«I rested for a longer period than usual – he explained yesterday – my season ended earlier than in previous years (the opening Instagram photo portrays him in California, ed.). This gave me the opportunity to take four weeks off, then I started training again in BelgiumTwo weeks later I moved to my base in Spain to continue strengthening myself and gradually increase the intensity."
Competing to avoid training
Cross country to train less: this is it the only concession that specialists of this caliber make to the old concepts of preparation, exception to the infallibility of tables.
«The fact of having a program of 12-13 cyclocross races – he explained – it makes sense. The second half of December offers more and more opportunities for competition and As long as I'm in Belgium, I prefer to compete rather than trainI looked at the routes and chose the races I've always liked the most. The fact that many of them take place near Antwerp is a great advantage."
The same reasoning made by Van Aert. Energy is a capital to be safeguarded and reducing travel allows him to continue with the cross, taking only the positive.
The eighth world cup
The main goal is the world championships in Hulst, which in case of victory would bring his world championship tally to 8. Hearing him speak, you get the feeling that he was tired of training and couldn't wait to put the number back on his back.
"It's been a long time since I last ran in Namur," he said, "and I've always liked the course. I feel ready. I haven't done much specific preparation so far, except for two sessions.One on Tuesday and one on Thursday. The last two days, however, have been easier. After Thursday's workout, I planned two easier ones to be fresh and rested at the start line. It's not much, but last year it was enough. Expectations are high. Maybe they are a little below the 2024 level, but I think that's enough for me to play for the victory».
The comparison with Nys
We can imagine the pressure his return is putting on those who have been protagonists up to this point. In particular, it will be very interesting to watch the first match of the season with Thibau Nys, indicated by many as the possible challenger.
«I think I understood that Nys has become the new point of reference – said Van der Poel – while Nieuwenhuis continues to confirm itself. In Namur, in particular, you have to be careful about Michael Vanthourenhout (winner of the Marceddì World Cup, ed.) and Toon Aerts. And Cameron Mason has clearly taken a step forward. There are many challengers. As every year, finally, I will soon find Van Aert tooEach of us has our own training, especially for the Spring Classics. This means we run into each other from time to time. How we will compare this winter will soon become clear, we just have to wait a weekWe hope to be able to offer a good show to the fans."
