"He's doing a lot better than Van Aert's 6" - Paul Herygers overjoyed with Mathieu van der Poel's 11-race winter

Finally, cyclocross world champion Mathieu van der Poel has unveiled his programme for this winter. Although it isn't the busiest schedule of the Dutchman's career, his 11-race winter is a lot busier than that of his rival, Wout van Aert, much to the delight of cyclocross expert, Paul Herygers.

"We've been saved, right?" Herygers begins his analysis for Sporza. "At the beginning of the season they scared the living daylights out of us. There was talk that they wouldn't go on the field, but fortunately it turned out differently."

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As mentioned, the 11 races Van der Poel is set to take on over the winter is just short of double the 6 that Van Aert is taking on. "It's not too bad. He's doing a lot better than Van Aert's 6," Herygers compares of the duo's programmes. "Yes, it is more than I expected. I thought for a moment that Van der Poel might want to pull off a stunt like Zdenek Stybar did in Hoogerheide. Ride five races and then become world champion."

"I think Van der Poel will appeal to a lot of people now. He doesn't say: let the farmers thresh, I'll come when the harvest is due," Herygers continues. "No, there is nothing wrong with it. He reaches a great peak at the end of the year. That is also typical Mathieu: when he comes, it can't get any better, so to speak. 11 races, that's 5 more than Van Aert. That's not the problem now, is it? If you calculate in hours, that's more than half a day more competition."

Van der Poel (L) and Van Aert (R) will go head to head on four occasions this winter

In total, the superstar duo will go head to head on four separate occasions this winter. Plenty for cyclocross fans to salivate over. "It will be a party, I can guarantee you that. Van Aert will start his winter in Mol and it will be a hit right away. Although I am sure that those men will not get nervous around each other," says Herygers. "They are working on their own programme and they are both following their own strategy. With Van Aert I understand that he wants to get used to it slowly. He put it well by saying that you should not expect the highest from him right away."

"Van der Poel is in the prime of his life. He ended his successful year with a fantastic World Championship on the road. With Van Aert it's a different story with his injury in the Vuelta. He is returning from the sickbed," adds the expert. "What I want to say is: they have a different story. You cannot and should not compare them. Don't think that we will have a battle between the yellow and white riders from Mol onwards. No, you really have to wait for that. Maybe it can happen later this season in Dendermonde, for example, but we won't get the classic duel. I won't go to the cyclocross with my backpack and think: today it will happen."

And finally, can Van der Poel take a record equalling 7th world title? "Nobody will complain about him going for the World Championship. The rest will accept that. And let's certainly not forget all those other crossers. They have coloured the entire season and they have already put in a tremendous fight," Herygers concludes. "Normally you can't beat Van der Poel at the World Championship, but to predict that in advance is nonsense. It still has to happen in Liévin at the beginning of February."

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