"I can't remember ever seeing him standing so sharply" - Thijs Zonneveld analyzes Mathieu van der Poel's form ahead of Worlds

The current world champion Mathieu van der Poel will be faced with one hell of a task to defend the rainbow stripes at the climby circuit in Zurich. And although he's trying to keep his chances alive, he'll be up against the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, who won't wait to get outsprinter by the Dutchman.

"He has visibly, and successfully, tried to lose weight," Thijs Zonneveld analyzes the Van der Poel's preparation in Algemeen Dagblad in his column. "Thin cheeks, a slender neck, legs on which you can see the muscles and veins running. I can't remember ever seeing him standing so sharply."

Although Van der Poel indicated that the road race is a bit too hard for him, Zonneveld clearly believes in his chances. "Otherwise he wouldn't starve himself to lose an extra half kilo," says Zonneveld. That is also because the course is not as hard as some may have anticipated

"It is a 26-kilometre circuit with three hills; only the first one has a few hundrers of metres with a gradient of more than 10 percent. Most of the elevation metres are in slopes of about 5 percent. That is something different from the steep hills in Liège," Zonneveld explains.

By taking a closer look at the course, the AD columnist himself has changed his mind. "I think I agree with Van der Poel: that it might be possible. If he has a really good day and if the way of racing works out in his favor. That is to say: a relatively tame race, in which it only happens in the last lap."

Zonneveld sees a pitfall for the 29-year-old Van der Poel. "That also means that he has to keep his powder dry. That he has to save and wait, that he has to ride economically. Not attacking for as long as possible, even when his legs are itching. And knowing him, that may be the biggest challenge."