"There are two top favourites" - Dutch national coach removes pressure from Mathieu van der Poel, puts it on Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel

The Netherlands will be focusing on one leader this Sunday in the men's elite road race and that is Mathieu van der Poel. It is a different tactic than what most teams will have but simultaneously, the pressure will be on Tadej Pogacar's Slovenia and Remco Evenepoel's Belgium according to the experienced voice of Koos Moerenhout.

“There are two top favourites. They are men of the hors categorie (HC climbs, ed.), but that doesn’t mean they have won the race. It is a very tough race over 274 kilometres and everything will have to be right for them too," Dutch national coach Koos Moerenhout told Wielerflits. The route has proven to be more favourable towards the climbers, but endurance and ability to do many hard efforts will be key and this is in the field of van der Poel.

But it is the World Championships, and a hilly race that does provide opportunity for many to fight for a top result. This may overwhelm the two main favourites and van der Poel could be among those to take advantage of the situation. “There are a lot of other riders behind them. Mathieu is a special rider, as we all know. He can also do very special things on a certain day. But everything will have to be right for him too to be able to finish it off on such a day.”

Last year he put in an incredibly strong ride in the worlds to take the title with a large lead over the world-class competition, despite a late crash in the rain. “I think Mathieu is very capable of reading the race and we benefit from it being an open race. That is to our advantage and Mathieu can sense the moment when he has to go. You will find plenty of those moments on this course, it is not just that first steep climb, but that can happen at any time during the race. That is the beauty of this course.”

Van der Poel knows how to peak at the right time and has looked very sharp in recent weeks. “It is not so much that we have to take charge, but when the race is on, we have to actively participate. We have the team to do that well. Mathieu is the ideal leader to build on that," Moerenhout concluded.