The heady days of the cyclocross duels between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel appear to be winding down because the Belgian introduced a curtailed marketing campaign that may see the 2 riders head to head in handiest six races, all right through the ‘Kerstperiode‘ gala’s round Christmas.
Van Aert will get started previous than the Dutchman, taking at the Actual Pass in Essen on December 9. The primary face-off with Van der Poel can be on the Actual Pass in Mol on December 22, the place the Dutchman makes his season debut.
The duo may even conflict on the UCI Global Cup rounds in Antwerp, Gavere, and Hulst, with the December 27 Superprestige spherical at Heusden-Zolder their different match-up.
Van der Poel, who is about to tackle round 15 races this cyclocross season, has the Superprestige Diegem and Actual Pass Loenhout on December 28 and 29, due to this fact fending off some other conflict with Van Aert in Heusden-Zolder.
“I’m having a look ahead to beginning the cyclocross once more quickly. It is nice to peer the enthusiasts once more. Those races are at all times particular for me,” Van Aert mentioned at the Jumbo-Visma staff’s site.
“It is a mindful choice to do a shorter programme,” He competed in 14 ‘pass races final season, successful 9 sooner than completing 2nd to Van der Poel at Worlds.
“Final 12 months, I discovered it mentally tough to concentrate on the cyclocross season after which transfer directly to the spring. I did not wish to go away anything else to probability with the Spring Classics. Because of this, with a heavy center, I’m using a extra restricted programme.
“It’ll undoubtedly be tough to succeed in a top stage. I’ve a couple of races to get in form, after which it’ll forestall already. I am hoping to turn out myself right through those races. For the primary time, it’ll be other from what I’m used to, however with a better purpose in thoughts.”
In January, Van Aert will ring within the new 12 months at the X2O Trofee spherical in Baal – in a different way referred to as the GP Sven Nys – on January 1. 3 days later he’s going to race the X2O Trofee in Koksijde. Each races see him tackle Van der Poel once more.
The staff said that Van Aert’s participation within the Zonhoven and Benidorm Global Cups later within the month is unsure as a result of they bracket the staff’s coaching camp and would give a contribution to fatigue within the run-up to the spring street season.
Van der Poel is about to tackle either one of the ones occasions, most likely becoming round an Alpecin-Deceuninck camp in Spain as he did this 12 months. He rounds out his cyclocross season with the past due January races on the X2O Trofee in Hamme, the Global Cup in Hoogerheide, and with a defence of his international name in Tabor on February 4.
Wout van Aert’s 2023-24 cyclocross agenda
- December 9 – Actual Pass Essen
- December 22 – Actual Pass Mol
- December 23 – UCI Global Cup Antwerp
- December 26 – UCI Global Cup Gavere
- December 27 – Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
- December 30 – UCI Global Cup Hulst
- January 1 – X2O Trofee Baal/GP Sven Nys
- January 4 – X2O Trofee Koksijde
- January 7 – UCI Global Cup Zonhoven (unsure)
- January 21 – UCI Global Cup Benidorm (unsure)
Mathieu van der Poel’s 2023-24 cyclocross agenda
- December 22 – Actual Pass Mol
- December 23 – UCI Global Cup Antwerp
- December 26 – UCI Global Cup Gavere
- December 28 – Superprestige Diegem
- December 29 – Actual Pass Loenhout
- December 30 – UCI Global Cup Hulst
- January 1 – X2O Trofee Baal/GP Sven Nys
- January 4 – X2O Trofee Koksijde
- January 7 – UCI Global Cup Zonhoven
- January 21 – UCI Global Cup Benidorm
- January 27 – X2O Trofee Hamme
- January 28 – UCI Global Cup Hoogerheide
- February 4 – UCI Global Championships Tabor
