Reigning cyclo-cross world champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has revealed most of his winter racing schedule. He will make his first start on December 14 at the World Championships in Namur, assuming he is in good enough shape for that.
If he doesn't start in Namur, the Dutch star will start his season a week later, at the World Championships in Antwerp on December 20. After that, a busy race schedule awaits him, which will include up to eight World Championships, three X2O Badkamers Trofee stages and Exact Cross Mol. The 13-race program aims to prepare van der Poel for the World Championships in Hulst on February 1.
Van der Poel, who has seven World Championship gold medals, shares first place in the record standings with Erik De Vlaeminck, and an eighth title would make him the sole leader. In addition to the Namur World Championship, van der Poel is also open to competing at the Benidorm World Championship.
Van der Poel competed in eight cyclo-cross races last season, making his debut in Zonhoven on December 22, so he will start a little earlier this year. Last winter, he won every race he entered.
Now that van der Poel's race schedule is confirmed, attention is turning to when he might face off against long-time rival Wout van Aert (Visma–Lease a Bike) for the first time. The Belgian will return to cyclo-cross this winter but has yet to confirm his schedule. Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) will not be racing cyclo-cross this year.
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