Mathieu van der Poel victorious at the Zilvermeercross Mol - "It took a while before I really started riding through the sand well"

Mathieu van der Poel won his comeback cross at the Zonhoven World Cup this Sunday and although he didn't have Wout van Aert competing next to him as initially forecast at the Zilvermeercross, he still found a strong rival in the sand filled track.

“The intention was to take it a bit easier in the first half. That worked out well," the World Champion said in a post-race interview with Wielerflits. As was the case often last season, he didn't look to attack early on, looking to not burn himself or take extra risks in a race that serves only as a build-up towards the World Championships.

However when he attacked on lap 4, he did find someone who matched him in Laurens Sweeck. “We all know that Laurens can ride through the sand very well. It wasn’t really a surprise, but he put up a good fight," the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider continued.

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However on lap 6 he dealt the killer blow, and simultaneously began to tackle the sand sectors in the way he wanted. "It took a while before I really started riding through the sand well. I only started finding my good lines in the last four laps. Then it got better and better.”

Van der Poel knew that his biggest rival was himself this afternoon, but he pulled out of his second test in perfect form and with a second win. “I was mainly concerned with myself. I just didn't ride that well in the sand in the first part of the cross. It's also a bit more difficult in the wheels, than when you're riding in front. Then you make your own tracks and then it's a bit easier. It won't always be plain sailing," he concluded. He will return to competition now after Christmas day, with the Gavere World Cup.

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