"The World Championship is all that remains" - Mathieu van der Poel clear on Cyclocross objectives this winter

The road season is yet to finish, and Mathieu van der Poel will be on the spotlight on several occasions over the coming week. However, with the Cyclocross season to start this weekend, he's also been questioned over the coming goals for the winter.

"I'm not really into cyclocross yet. My retirement last season in Zolder feels like an eternity ago," the Dutchman said in a recent interview. "It's a bit early to be working on that now, but that [World Championships] will be my main goal. The winter has become less important for a few years and then the World Championship is all that remains."

A four-time World Championship winner, he's looking to add a fifth rainbow jersey to his collection - currently owned by Tom Pidcock. With the focus he's put on the road over the last few years his winter campaigns have been smaller, however with several wins to his name nevertheless. Last season was a catastrophe however, as he abandoned his second outing and was forced to take around a month of rest in a crucial off-season period. He's looking to bounce back this season.

Team manager Philip Roodhooft said: "...Emotionally it remains important and this is also apparent from our cross team. We had difficulties for a few years with the transition to the road, but now we have a young team again with Quinten Hermans from 1 January". The Belgian team has put it's priority on the road for the last few years, and with a World Tour spot virtually guaranteed for the coming three seasons and the addition of the Belgian rider, they are aiming to once again take up the charge in the discipline.

"We can gradually take the place that we had before in the field," Roodhoft ambitions, pointing towards a lineup that will not only include Mathieu van der Poel and Quinten Hermans, but also the likes of Niels Vandeputte, Puck Pieterse and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado seeking strong results over the various categories as top contenders.