"I do not want to expect too much" - Team boss plays down expectations for Mathieu van der Poel's first cyclocross races
Cyclocross
The "real" cyclocross season starts next Monday when the long-awaited duel of two cyclocross champions; Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert will go down a day before Christmas, in Zilvermeercross Mol. However Van der Poel's Alpecin-Deceuninck manager Christian Roodhoft is trying to calm the excitement as we're yet to see how the Dutchman comes off winter preparation.
"I do expect Mathieu to be good," Roodhoft states to VTM Nieuws. Van der Poel will return to racing a day earlier in Zonhoven on Sunday. "A lot will depend on how good the others are. I have seen many beautiful races this season, but it remains difficult to make a correct assessment of the level. Are the youngsters who are sticking their noses out of the window that good or are the established names a bit less? We will only know when Mathieu joins the battle."
Roodhoft does not want to make any concrete statements about whether the world champion will already compete for the victory. "I do not want to expect too much. If you say that he will have a hard time and that is not the case, that would be lame. And if you say that you expect him to win easily, you only create pressure. One thing is certain: Van der Poel is ready. We have drawn up a clear plan of ten races towards the World Championship."
Roodhoft is in any case very curious about the anticipated clash of Van der Poel and Van Aert in Mol. "It would of course be great if both Mathieu and Wout are competitive and we get moments like two years ago in Diegem, or the World Championship in Hoogerheide. Those were highlights for the sport and for the tradition. But honestly, I fear that such moments will not easily come back."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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