"I think they're pretty evenly matched" - Dutch coach Gerben de Knegt confident van der Poel will challenge van Aert for Cyclocross World Title despite concerns over form

With the 2023 Cyclocross World Championships in Hoogerheide now less than a month away, there has been much discussion over the form or lack thereof of Mathieu van der Poel. Dutch coach Gerben de Knegt is unconcerned however.

Speaking in an interview with In de Leiderstrui, de Knegt quashes claims that van der Poel's form is a cause for concern. "I saw what happened in Koksijde just like everyone else," he says referring to a flare-up of an old back injury for van der Poel. "Of course you are disappointed, but I don't want to say that the alarm bells immediately go off or anything like that."

de Knegt feels that if anything is going to stop van der Poel from claiming a fifth Cyclocross World Championship crown, it will be more to do with the brilliance of Wout van Aert than anything lacking from van der Poel. "I think they're pretty evenly matched. In principle, it is often about the form of the day with those two, but it is of course a fact that Wout is perfectly fine and that we can enjoy a nice duel. But in my opinion, Van der Poel is not as far off as everyone thinks."

"I hope that the training camp with the Mathieu team will help again and then it can be different in a few weeks," the Dutch national team coach continues. "But if Mathieu doesn't win, he doesn't win. Then it will be Monday again."