Gerben de Knegt makes an exception to include Mees Hendrikx in the World Championships lineup: "I hope that a selection will help him in his search for a new team"

Gerben de Knegt set out clear guidelines for the Dutch cyclists who'd like to nominate themselves for the World Championships this Sunday. However, the Dutch coach made an exception for the final spot on the roster and picked Mees Hendrikx, who hasn't finished in top 16 for a single time this winter.

"Mees met that guideline several times last year, but is certainly not having his best season this winter," the national coach notes in a chat with WielerFlits. "You can't see it in his results, but Mees is on the upward trend. In Hoogerheide he suffered a crash after the start. He was the last to enter the field. After that he did reach the top 16 at one point. If you look at his lap times, he recorded three laps in the top five. If he doesn't encounter anything, he will be in the top 16."

"It is also my job to assess the level. That is not always a hard result on paper. Mees is only a second-year elite. Two years ago he won the U23 World Cup and came third at the World Championships,"

"If you deviate from guidelines, people are always upset. I'll just accept that then. I'll give Mees the benefit of the doubt this time. I also hope that a World Championship selection will help him in his search for a new team. So I have my arguments for deviating from my guidelines. Last week in Benidorm, Mees also rode quite well, but had to give up due to stomach cramps. I don't just make this exception for anyone," he concludes.