In an announcement on its website, coach Gerben de Knegt has revealed the Dutch national team for the Cyclocross World Championships. Unsurprisingly, all eyes are on Mathieu van der Poel.
A seventh victory would make Van der Poel the sole record holder, as he currently shares the record of six rainbow jerseys in cyclocross with the late Erik De Vlaeminck. Considering Van der Poel’s dominance in recent weeks, the odds of him achieving this feat are high.
Van der Poel Eyes Record, Vos in Doubt for the Women’s Race
“But it’s still sport—you need to stay healthy and avoid bad luck,” said De Knegt. “At the same time, I can’t deny that Mathieu made a huge impression again this past weekend. Among the men, we also have other podium contenders, considering the capabilities of Lars van der Haar, Joris Nieuwenhuis, and Pim Ronhaar.”
De Knegt anticipates more suspense in the women’s race in Liévin. “This season, the women have been much closer in performance. The Netherlands has several strong candidates for victory, but I also rate Blanka Vas highly after her performance this weekend.”
“The strongest rider will win in Liévin, as the course is fair and challenging enough for that,” said the former cyclocross champion. “Of course, I hope we’ll see another Dutch rider on the top step of the podium. Marianne Vos is part of our selection, but she is dealing with a minor injury. This week will determine whether she can start.”
Dutch Cyclocross World Championship Team
Elite Men:
Mathieu van der Poel
Lars van der Haar
Pim Ronhaar
Joris Nieuwenhuis
Mees Hendrikx
Ryan Kamp
Corné van Kessel
Elite Women:
Lucinda Brand
Fem van Empel
Ceylin Alvarado
Inge van der Heijden
Puck Pieterse
Manon Bakker
Annemarie Worst
Denise Betsema
Marianne Vos
