"I will not let myself be led to make statements anymore" - Michael Vanthourenhout tired of van der Poel and van Aert questions that have "been asked twenty times"

Michael Vanthourenhout has been having a strong cyclocross season so far, hitting his best form right on time as the World Cup began, and currently he leads the competition having won two out of the three races. He had been asked more times however about the return to cyclocross of riders like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, and wishes to not be in the spotlight so much.

“That question has been asked twenty times again. I am mainly focused on my own cross season. Of course Wout and Mathieu will be there again next week, but I am just doing my best," Vanthourenhout told Wielerflits this past weekend. "It is not that I am now organizing my cross differently because they are participating.”

“Don't get me wrong: it is great that they are participating again. Those guys made the cross very big and it is a nice challenge to compete against them. Maybe I can stand on the podium with them one day. Those are photos that you can look back on with pleasure later.”

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Vanthourenhout stands a pretty good chance of doing so, likely battling with Wout van Aert as well taking into consideration his likely lower form. The former European Champion is on his own mission this winter and he says that he and other riders aren't so pleased with the constant request for comments on the 'big two' that will come into the field in the coming days.

“We also do our best to perform every week. Then that excessive attention is a bit of a shame. And yes, sometimes it is also annoying. I don't need to be in the media either, I am not someone who seeks out the spotlight and sucks all the attention towards me. But other riders will still be bothered by the fact that it is only about those two during this period," he argues.

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"I will not let myself be led to make statements anymore," the Belgian hits. "It is simply: they are of a very high class and then we will see what is possible in the coming weeks. Third, fourth or fifth: it does not matter to me. I always try to do my best.”

“I will not let myself get carried away in that area anymore, you know. And do my own thing, follow my own career path. First of all, I now want to defend my rankings as well as possible and fulfill my personal goals," Vanthourenhout concluded.

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