On January 30 and 31, all eyes in cyclocross will be on Ostend. Then the Queen of Seaside Resorts organizes the world championship.
“Honestly, I have not believed in the World Cup for a long time. That has been changing for a few days,” Sven Vanthourenhout tells De Tribune.
“The organization has started work, the build-up has started. That already sounds a lot more positive than a few weeks ago.”
“I see it going well,” continues the national coach. “The organization is doing everything it can to make the World Cup cyclocross a success.”
“So far, everything has gone by the book in the cyclocross races. Everyone adheres to the measures and I think that’s a good signal.”
“The biggest question mark remains that animal. The Christmas period will be crucial”, thinks Vanthourenhout.
(read on below the quote)
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Wout van Aert is looking for his 4th world title in Ostend. “He makes a point of that”, says Sven Vanthourenhout. “And he will be 100 percent ready for that.”
“Wout will arm himself as strongly as possible against a Mathieu van der Poel. The defending champion will make it very difficult for us again”, the national coach realizes.
“We do have the luxury to furnish the selection with extra weapons such as Toon Aerts and Eli Iserbyt. They also cross for nothing less than the world title.”
(scroll down for more)
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On Saturday, Wout van Aert will make his comeback in the Urban Cross in Kortrijk. “His form curve has dropped somewhat after the classics”, Sven Vanthourenhout knows, “but it is certainly not a deep fall. When I hear him, he is still cycling at a very high level.”
“He will have to do it against guys who have been on their motocross bike for some time and have already had more intervals. Wout will feel that.”
“You cannot expect him to win immediately, although it will of course remain Wout van Aert. I see him fighting in the front for a long time. And if you beat him on Saturday, your victory will certainly get more cachet.”
Follow the cyclocross race in Kortrijk on Saturday in our app, on our website and on One. The women start a little after 1:30, the men cross at 3 pm.
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