Mathieu van der Poel cautious ahead of World Championships: "In the past I have ridden very well or very poorly, and that is never a guarantee of success"

Mathieu van der Poel is the overwhelming favourite to win the Cyclocross World Championships in Tabor next week, and the race draws near. Today he has his final challenge ahead of the main event in his 'home' event of Hoogerheide.

“I was able to do the work I had to do in Spain. I am happy with that. Next week is all about freshness. We have also been working fairly hard towards the spring, and the crosses will be added then," van der Poel shared with Wielerflits this morning. “This weekend is always a difficult weekend, a week before the World Championships. In the past I have ridden very well or very poorly, and that is never a guarantee of success the following week. I can put that aside.”

Last Saturday in Hamme he took another victory to his so far extremely successful season, recovering from a bad day in Benidorm. He's been training a lot over the past few weeks also eyeing the road season, but now this upcoming week is all about the CX bike and a sixth rainbow jersey in the discipline.

In Hoogerheide he will be the man to beat, and it will be in familiar grounds. The 'GP van der Poel' (widely related to his father Adrie) is a very well suited track to his characteristics, and is where he became World Champion last season. “I still pass here regularly, it is kind of like a home cross. I am always motivated, but it gives me something extra motivation,” he concluded.