01/02/2023

Wout van Aert hungry to recover rainbow jersey at Cyclocross worlds: "It has been a long time coming"

The climax of the Cyclocross week is set to take place this weekend, as the riders tackle the Hoogerheide circuit for the World Championships. Wout van Aert is looking for a fourth rainbow jersey, but he will have to challenge Mathieu van der Poel for it.

"It's always nice to return to a place where you have achieved great results. In Hoogerheide, everything is always perfectly organized, so riding a world championship there is cool," van Aert said in a press release. "The weather will determine what the course will look like next weekend. Usually, it is pretty straightforward. But I have seen Hoogerheide in many different guises. For me, it can be advantageous if it is muddy with some running lanes. I especially hope that a lot of people will come to watch next weekend."

Startlist Cyclocross World Championships Hoogerheide 2023 - Women/Men Elite, Women/Men Under-23, Women/Men Junior

The Dutch track won't favour neither of the two specifically, although van der Poel's father Adrie is part of the team designing the course. The two have been very balanced over the past few weeks, with van Aert seemingly stronger in the slower tracks, whilst van der Poel is able to tilt the scale in the faster tracks and conditions.

The weather can be decisive for Hoogerheide. The two are the main contenders, with Tom Pidcock missing from the startlist and the two have been a level above the rest of the competition. "I am ambitious and would love to wear the rainbow jersey again," he admits.

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"It has been a long time coming. I had a good last test in Hamme. I had some hard training sessions before that, which made me a bit tired at the start. My training has been adjusted for the World Championship, so I will be as fresh as possible in Hoogerheide," van Aert reveals, having trained in Spain over the last few weeks, and won the X2O Trofee Hamme last weekend in convincing fashion.

Van der Poel won the final World Cup round in Besançon however in equally convincing fashion. The two will clash this Sunday. "I hope to get that extra percent by resting well and preparing for Sunday. It's positive that I've been in good shape for a few weeks. I think I have a good chance and am ready to compete," he concluded.