"I don't doubt Van der Poel for a second either" - Cyclocross legend expecting Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert's return in December

The cyclocross season is on a roll and quite exciting. This weekend saw another set of brilliant battles at the European Championships, with the women's race coming down to a sprint and the men's being won by the new uprising talent Thibau Nys. A lot of men have already won this season and Paul Herygers believes Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert should also be in the field in the space of month and a half.

“I almost got scared. If you had to write down in advance how to ride a perfect cyclocross, he did it in Pontevedra. At the beginning of such a fast cyclocross, you shouldn't be at the front," Paul Herygers told Wielerflits. On the road, the CX legend believes Nys can do just as well already, specially on the short uphill finishes: "That is a small peloton of riders that can do so well, like Gilbert and Valverde".

Nys won in Overijse with a strong performance and now a big triumph in Spain. But this season has seen wins for Lars van der Haar, Eli Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout, Laurens Sweeck and even Joran Wyseure against the best. It is being a thrilling opening month of racing with plenty surprises, different courses leading to different winners, and a victor in style in a very popular set of races in Pontevedra - whilst in the women's side, Lucinda Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado are working quite well to split the dominance of Fem van Empel.

"It is also very positive that we can talk about cross with tension. We have watched the women's cyclocross with admiration for years, but now that tension has also moved to the men," Herygers feels. "And that may continue for a while. I don't immediately see someone who will achieve a series of five or six victories in a row. Only if the Big Two get involved," he believes.

Wout van Aert should start his season after the end of Team Visma | Lease a Bike's road team training camp which ends in the 19th of December, whilst Mathieu van der Poel should have a similar schedule in mind. "We have heard a hint from Van Aert that he wants to return at the end of December. But I don't doubt Van der Poel for a second either. They see this too and are more and more excited every day to come by to race."