"He's professional enough to know that you can't build a course for Mathieu" - Adrie van der Poel being course builder is of no advantage according to Niels Albert

There have been murmurs in some quarters of the cycling world about the fact that the father of one of the favourites for glory at the Cyclocross World Championship is the course builder. Analyst Niels Albert however believes there isn't any truth to the story.

“Of course Adrie van der Poel also has his say in the course of Hoogerheide," Albert admits. "I think, in all honesty, he's professional enough to know that you can't draw a course for Mathieu that doesn't suit Wout either. There is no sloping side in Hoogerheide where Mathieu van der Poel would really dare to take risks on technology and put Wout under pressure. What else could he do? Putting a bend ten meters further? So what?"

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Indeed the last time the world championships were held in Hoogerheide was back in 2014. Mathieu van der Poel finished 3rd place on the day, over a minute down on race winner and still his number one rival, Wout van Aert.

“Six years ago, in Bièles, Adrie and I already had a discussion about this. Adrie had helped to design that World Cup course. I thought that was odd and I said so," Albert recalls. "Here and there it will have been made wider for the public. And there will be one or two bridges for accessibility. As a result, other strips will be made on the left and right. But does that make a difference? I think they will drive to the finish with two on Sunday. As happened in Zolder, Loenhout and Benidorm. And then sprint.”

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