This Sunday, the long-anticipated battle between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert will finally take place in Liévin. Until last Sunday, this seemed unlikely, even to Dutch journalist Thijs Zonneveld. While he was surprised by the announcement, Zonneveld is supportive of the decision to bring the two competitors together.
Van Aert’s Struggle Against Van der Poel
Zonneveld makes it clear that Van Aert has struggled to find his usual form when competing against Van der Poel. The columnist for Algemeen Dagblad emphasizes that despite expecting Van der Poel to continue his dominance, Van Aert has managed to push past his fear of losing to his main rival.
For the past two years, Zonneveld believes there has been no real competition between the two riders. Since the 2023 World Championship in Hoogerheide, he sees Van Aert as being second-best to Van der Poel. Moreover, Zonneveld notes a change in Van Aert’s approach when racing against Van der Poel. Instead of racing aggressively, he often appears passive, even “cowardly” at times.
“When Van der Poel is at the start line, Van Aert is not himself. He rides more cautiously, more passively, sometimes even a bit cowardly,” says Zonneveld. He points to the 2023 Paris-Roubaix final as a key example. Despite being in the lead with Van der Poel, Van Aert refused to take control of the race, preferring to let others catch up instead of going head-to-head with his rival.
Van Aert’s Mental Shift
Despite these setbacks, Zonneveld argues that Van Aert’s decision to race against Van der Poel this Sunday represents an important mental shift. Even though he doesn’t believe Van Aert will win, he praises the Belgian for no longer running from the challenge. “Wout is no longer hiding from his own shadow. He’s not retreating. He’s standing tall in the ring. Finally, finally. We have a real competition,” concludes Zonneveld.
This Sunday’s race, though Van Aert is likely to lose, marks a return to direct competition. It’s a significant moment, showing Van Aert’s courage to face Van der Poel, no matter how slim his chances of victory may be.
