Here's the Top 3️⃣ contenders for the Men Elite race as voted by the #MyWorldofCycling community 🌏 Who will win that coveted rainbow jersey 🌈? #Hoogerheide2023
Adrie van der Poel on Mathieu: "The most important thing is that he passes the finish line first"
CyclingSunday, 05 February 2023 at 12:49
The big day is here, and the men's Elite race contenders are ready for a monumental battle in the Hoogerheide track. Mathieu van der Poel's father Adrie has taken part of the organization, and he's revealed the communication he's had with Mathieu leading up to the race.
“I sent him a WhatsApp this week. He was not pleased that I couldn’t help clean his bike and he had to do it by himself,” father Adrie joked in an interview with CyclingWeekly. "...We drank a coffee together on Monday morning, then the rest of the week I haven’t heard much from him. He has a lot of training to do before Sunday and he will join up with the national team on Friday I think. I think I won’t see him now until Sunday morning.”
Sunday morning has now arrived. The Dutchman was set to only recon the Hoogerheide track this morning unlike most of his rivals, but has his sights very clear on a single goal, which is the gold medal. To get there however he will face tough competition in the likes of the Belgian team, including Wout van Aert who has shared the same objective throughout the winter.
“The most important thing is that he passes the finish line first. It will be very muddy on Sunday, and a lot of wind. I’ve said that it will be the little mistakes that make the difference," Adrie said. The race was forecasted to be dry, but late changes have seen it become more slippery and less fast, something which may not be in favour of the Dutchman.
However despite having spent the winter preparing for the worlds, a lot of work has been done towards the spring classics as well, mostly in the form of two team training camps in December and January. Van der Poel will be leading Alpecin-Deceuninck's ambitions throughout the spring and his preparation is on point.
“Maybe it’s easier to win a third Tour of Flanders than a first Paris-Roubaix. It’s maybe a case of him being more stressed for winning Paris-Roubaix and less for the Tour of Flanders. It’s not easy to win these kinds of races, you also have to be a little bit lucky. Although for sure, I know he’s doing all he can to win more classics this year," he continued.
“Up until Sunday has been the first part of the preparation for the classics season. After the worlds, he will take a few days off, then he’ll prepare for Strade Bianche and races including Paris-Roubaix. I think all the races he’s done now in cyclo-cross and the training with the team has so far been perfect," van der Poel believes.
As for today's race he concluded: “It’s a pity for the sport that he [Pidcock] is not here, although it’s logical when you have other big goals in the season. You have to make decisions early sometimes, and it’s very hard to please everyone. I understand his choice completely."
"Good luck, that’s all I'll say,” he replied when asked what he'll say to Mathieu the morning of the race. . “Sometimes before the big races it’s best not to talk too much with him. He likes to be in the van with his brother and they will recon the circuit. We will all just do the same as usual. I think that’s the best way to succeed.”
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