"I'll just start there again to win that race" - Michael Vanthourenhout focused in European title defense

Michael Vanthourenhout soared to victory in Namur last year and grabbed himself the European jersey for a whole year. It was a very meaningful title but that jersey's time is coming to an end. However, the Belgian is riding into the weekend with the sole goal of revalidating the title once again.

“I was hindered after the start on the Koppenberg, so I had to go up on foot. Consequence? In the first lap I had to push myself to make up time. I carried that with me throughout the cross," Vanthourenhout admited to Wielerflits. "For a large part of the hour it went quite well. Until the last lap, then I felt that the barrel was finished. Completely different than in Maasmechelen, where I just had a bad day.” The 29-year old finished fifth in the Koppenbergcross and hasn't been able to take a win yet this season.

This comes as a complication towards Pontchâteau, where the track won't be as climber-friendly as last year's was. Vanthourenhout abandoned the Maasmechelen World Cup with illness and has watched rivals such as Thibau Nys, Eli Iserbyt and Lars van der Haar take strong victories. The trio will be the main favourites to be the new European champions, but Vanthourenhout believes that his physical problems of late are behind and that he can show his best level.

“I think it's resolved. I think things went reasonably well on the Koppenberg. I feel ready for Sunday. I'll just start there again to win that race," he tells. "Many riders will be at the start with such a feeling, and that is no different for me. It won't be easy to recover in time, because the Koppenbergcross was really tough. The journey to France is also quite far, so we will have to get plenty of rest next week. Especially because it is also going to be rainy on Sunday. I expect a very tough cross.”