"This is one of the hardest races to win" - Mathieu van der Poel takes on World Championships with careful tactics

Leading the Dutch team is Mathieu van der Poel. Dylan van Baarle and Olav Kooij provide cards for the Netherlands to play but most eyes will be on the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider who will have a suiting explosive circuit.

“This is one of the hardest races to win. Nobody knows what to expect today, especially on this race. Neither do I. Whether I will immediately jump in the local round? If it's a dangerous group, I'll have to be considerate," van der Poel told Wielerflits. "But it will also be important to stay calm and not lose your strength too soon.”

It will be a difficult race to play tactically. The distance and toughness of the final circuit will thin down the field, however when it comes to strategy the race has been hinted to be decided from an early attack, as having an efficient chase on the roads of Glasgow will be hellish for those given the task. Van der Poel needs to find a balance between saving his legs for as late as possible but make sure that he makes it into the right moves.

“I'm not going to be able to ride every climb full, but no one will be able to. After a while it starts to hurt so much for everyone," he says. "It could have happened suddenly at a strange moment. How I feel? I slept well (in contrast to last year's Wollongong controversy, ed.), but for me it is still a bit of a question mark. I hope to be good.”