Within the wake of Mathieu van der Poel‘s sixth Cyclocross World Championships victory and his admission that he could look to skip winter ‘cross campaigns in future, his Alpecin-Deceuninck crew boss Christoph Roodhooft has stated he “does not see it taking place instantly.”
The Dutchman, who received the world title for the sixth time with a dominant journey in Tabor on Sunday, stated after his victory, “If it seems that I can carry out even higher on the highway by skipping cyclo-cross, then I’ll try this.”
Nonetheless, nothing has but been determined, with Roodhooft telling WielerFlits that the difficulty hasn’t but been mentioned.
“So far as I do know that has by no means been mentioned. By no means say by no means, after all, however I do not see it taking place instantly,” he stated in an interview after the race.
For his half, Van der Poel stated he’d discuss it together with his Alpecin-Deceuninck crew, including that his 2024 highway programme could be determined quickly.
“It is a determination that I clearly can not make alone,” he stated after capturing the rainbow jersey. “However we’ll focus on it inside the crew. We’ll know extra about my highway programme in two weeks, however not but about subsequent winter.”
Roodhooft stated that he was all the time sure that his rider would race to the win on Sunday, taking the title by 37 seconds from one other Dutchman, Joris Nieuwenhuis.
“By no means had any [doubts],” stated Roodhooft. “I used to be a bit extra tense than traditional anyway. However I feel rigidity is suitable on a day like at present.
“An occasion just like the World Championships deserves that. You do not win a race like this identical to that.”
For Van der Poel, the win was his thirteenth in 14 races in the course of the 2023-24 cyclocross season. His solely miss got here on the UCI World Cup in Benidorm final month, when he took a chicane too shortly late within the race, hitting a padded metallic pole within the course of and later settling for fifth place.
Regardless of the lengthy record of wins – he now has 161 in whole at elite degree – his focus this season was completely on the World Championships. Racking up extra victories within the X20 Trofee, World Cup, and Superprestige does little for his packed palmarès in comparison with one other rainbow jersey.
“I truly perceive that assertion,” Roodhooft stated about Van der Poel’s declaration that his season would solely be a hit if he received the Worlds. “For different riders, it is likely to be good to win 10 or 12 occasions, however with him, it is solely in regards to the World Championships.
“We’ll undoubtedly have fun this, nevertheless it’s additionally totally different as a result of we’re so removed from residence. You favor to have fun these large wins with the entourage there and that is a bit tougher now.”
Supply hyperlink
Your posts always provide me with a new perspective and encourage me to look at things differently Thank you for broadening my horizons