Wout van Aert has recently revealed most of his calendar for the 2022-2023 cyclocross season, and long-term rival Mathieu van der Poel is on the way to continue the rivalry, having announced his schedule ahead of his debut this weekend in Hulst.
The Hulst World Cup will be van der Poel's returning race, where he will face Tom Pidcock and the seasoned cyclocross pros for the first time this winter. Last year he only began his campaign in late December, but back issues forced him out of competition right afterwards. A season with nothing to show for behind, but this winter the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider is coming back for more success.
Aiming towards the World Championships, as will Wout van Aert who will race for the first time the week at the Antwerp World Cup, van der Poel has confirmed to be taking part in 14 races - with a 15th possibly to be added before the Hoogerheide Worlds which will take place in the 5th of February.
He won't naturally be eyeing the cups, aswell as national championships. He will race a mostly Belgium calendar with exceptions of Val di Sole and Benidorm alongside the two Dutch races, and will have a specific focus over the Christmas block where he is set to feature in virtually all races.
2022-2023 cyclocross season for Mathieu van der Poel:
27/11: World Cup Hulst
3/12: Superprestige Boom
4/12: World Cup Antwerp
17/12: World Cup Val di Sole
23/12: Exact Cross Mol
26/12: World Cup Gavere
27/12: Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
28/12: Superprestige Diegem
30/12: Exact Cross Loenhout
3/1: X2O Trofee Herentals
5/1: X2O Trofee Koksijde
8/1: World Cup Zonhoven
22/1: World Cup Benidorm
5/2: World Championships Hoogerheide
Next Sunday, @mathieuvdpoel will start CX-campaign. A series of races that will be interrupted twice for a training camp with our road team. And the last weekend before the World Championships still has to be decided... @AlpecinCycling @Deceuninck @canyon_bikes
