"It will be a tailor-made course for Wout" - Sven Vanthourenhout predicts van Aert victory at Cyclocross World Championships

With the Cyclocross World Championships on the horizon, the Belgian national team coach Sven Vanthourenhout believes it's all set for Wout van Aert to claim the fourth World Title of his career.

After some of the best racing cyclocross fans will have ever seen happening in recent weeks, this World Championship race could be the most hotly anticipated of all time. Despite the fact reigning champion Tom Pidcock is not set to defend his crown, the likes of Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and many others will be more than up for the battle on February 5th in Hoogerheide, Netherlands.

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, Sven Vanthourenhout was asked if he believed van Aert could overcome the home-crowd advantage van der Poel will benefit from to claim Cyclocross World Championship victory for the first time since 2018. “A month ago I had my doubts about that," Vanthourenhout admits. "His level was not as high as last year, but Wout closed the gap on Mathieu very quickly. It is important that he continues to cross in the same relaxed way."

"He doesn't lose sleep over it when he makes a mistake or doesn't win a cross. If he can keep that mindset and calm, I have a good eye for it at the World Championship," the Belgian continues. "If we get wet weather conditions, it will be a tailor-made course for Wout.”

Vanthourenhout will surely not be the only one to back Wout van Aert for success. The Jumbo-Visma rider has been in imperious form during the festive period. Racing a total of seven cyclocross races, van Aert has the incredibly impressive record of five victories and a pair of second-place finishes and at the time of writing, van Aert is also currently the favourite for the title with bookmakers.