Van der Poel gears up for worlds with cyclo-cross double / Photo: LUC CLAESSEN - Belga/AFP
Van der Poel gears up for worlds with cyclo-cross double
Mathieu van der Poel geared up for the world championships next month by winning the final two races of the cyclo-cross World Cup this weekend.
On a circuit designed by his father Adrie, the Dutch rider claimed his seventh success this season at home in Hoogerheide on Sunday.
On Saturday, van der Poel had beaten home hope Wout Van Aert at Maasmechelen in Belgium. Van Aert did not compete on Sunday.
Reigning world champion van der Poel demonstrated his return to form after picking up a rib injury in a crash last month.
"I'm not 100 percent yet but my broken rib doesn't hurt too much anymore," said the 29-year-old Alpecin rider.
Leading from the first of the seven laps on Sunday, he won with a 1min 42sec lead on Belgian Michael Vanthourenhout, who consoled himself by winning the final World Cup classification after 12 races.
Van der Poel is favourite for the cyclo-cross world championships in Lievin, France, from January 31 to February 2 where he will bid to match Belgian Eric De Vlaeminck's record of seven world titles.
M.P.Huber--MP
