Mathieu van der Poel on Wout van Aert's Cyclocross World Championships participation: "Nothing really changes for me"

The Belgian national team had announced eight riders for the men's Elite Cyclocross World Championships last week, leaving one spot open. Although Wout van Aert had said always that he would not participate in the event, this Sunday afternoon Team Visma | Lease a Bike announced the opposite.

Mathieu van der Poel, after winning the Hoogerheide World Cup, was asked about the potential participation of his Belgian rival - this was asked before the news was actually confirmed. "Yes, then it will probably be a battle again. He had announced that he would not do it and he is not really someone who normally changes his plans, so it would be a surprise," van der Poel told Sporza this Sunday afternoon.

Van Aert had announced six races for his winter schedule, not including the World Championships, as he looks to put his focus on the road season. So a change in plans was not in the plans of the reigning World Champion. "...Because, as I say: he is someone who has a plan in his head and always sticks to it."

Van Aert won the Cyclocross Gullegem and then the Dendermonde World Cup, but was second behind Thibau Nys in Benidorm and this Saturday was second behind van der Poel in the Maasmechelen World Cup. Clearly a level below, but it has to be taken into consideration how van Aert's tumbles largely affected his ability to stay with the Dutchman.

However, this will only add one week to van Aert's cyclocross winter, and with the chance of taking a rainbow jersey, it was a somewhat logical choice for him. “If so, it is a pleasant surprise. It is always fun to compete against such a rider. I am looking forward to it.”

But for van der Poel, this changes little, as he must stick with the same strategy most likely. “Apart from the fact that there will be a strong competitor, nothing really changes for me. I do think that he will become a big challenger. That has already been proven in the past.”