🎤 @mathieuvdpoel talked with the press at the headquarters of our partner IKO in Antwerp, ahead of his first cyclocross race in Hulst this Sunday. Wondering what the 4-time World Champion had to say? Discover it here! #AlpecinDeceuninck
Mathieu van der Poel wants to become World Champion, but that "doesn't mean I don't want to win the rest"
CyclocrossSaturday, 26 November 2022 at 20:30
Mathieu van der Poel's long-awaited return to cyclocross is set to take place tomorrow in Hulst for another World Cup race. The Dutchman is having a two-month stint in the discipline scheduled this year, but aims high.
"The World Championship is my biggest goal. It doesn't mean I don't want to win the rest, I always want to win, but the World Championship will be a prestige," van der Poel said in a recent press conference. He admitted that his plans were of starting the season later, but he had shown good form in recent training sessions and feels ready to return to his roots this weekend already.
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Having discussed several other topics, he also put a lot of focus on his attention of recovering the rainbow stripes. It is his clear goal, as is Wout van Aert's this winter, but van der Poel talks of an urge to win throughout the winter. It will not be easy however at first, seeing that he's going to have back-row starts due to the lack of points obtained last season.
However, the goal for the World Championships doesn't come solely from competitive terms, it is also a place that holds meaning to him psychologically: "Especially because it's in Hoogerheide, which makes it special for me. My grandmother lived close to the course, and I know a lot of people there," he revealed.
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