"I need that intensity for what's coming on the road": Gianni Vermeersch hopes to wrap up his CX campaign in Benidorm

The Belgian cyclocross Championships did not have a surprising winner as Thibau Nys confirmed his position of the best rider behind uncatchable Mathieu van der Poel and Wout Van Aert to claim his second consecutive title. However further down the result sheet, you could find a number of unexpected performances, including the 8th place Gianni Vermeersch who finished ahead of European champion Toon Aerts, for example.

Of course, the 33-year-old Vermeersch has extensive cyclocross background, so the result on its own is not shocking from a rider who top-10'd the World Championships multiple times in the past. However the new Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe recruit is no longer a regular appearance in the field. And so to beat some of the best riders in the world with but a limited preparation is still a less usual sight.

"On days like today, I still enjoy doing cyclocross. When things aren't going so well, it's less enjoyable, but I felt pretty good," Vermeersch explained afterwards to WielerFlits. "I really enjoyed the course; I tried to enjoy myself and ride a good pace. I knew I was in good shape anyway. If I could ride at my own pace, I knew I'd be able to overtake a few riders in the final."

That's exactly how the final laps went. "In the last three laps, riders stopped, and I was able to overtake some of them. When I looked at the entry list beforehand, the level was really high, and I knew I had to perform pretty well to get anywhere near the top 10. Coming out of here now means I can call the Belgian Championship a success."

For Vermeersch, this was only his third start in a new jersey (that of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe). But unlike his time at Alpecin-Deceuninck, where the focus on cyclocross over winter was evident, he can no longer rely on the full service from his team. "But I have to say, I also had good support here. Sven Vanthourenhout and Tim Meeussen (sports director and coach, ed.) were here. I had a camper van and good equipment at my disposal. That's a great motivation."

"I hope to be selected for the World Cup in Benidorm (on January 18th)," Vermeersch reveals his short-term objective. The nomination would perfectly align with his road preparation. "I'll definitely be in Spain for training then. We'll find a pretty fast course in Benidorm, and I hope I can maybe perform a bit better there. That will be my last cyclocross race," Vermeersch said, ruling out the World Championships.

The reason to even participate in winter beyond just passion is clear. Just like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, he feels the benefits of those explosive efforts in his first passion. "It makes me better. I think I need that intensity for what's coming on the road. I'm also getting a year older now. You can't rest too much then, and you have to keep your body occupied."