Faraj Benlahoucine, Media365, published on Thursday January 2, 2025 at 8:39 p.m.
Mathieu van der Poel has withdrawn from the cyclo-cross race scheduled for this Friday in Koksijde. His expected duel against Wout Van Aert is therefore postponed to January 25.
Mathieu van der Poel's sixth cyclo-cross victory of the season will still have to wait. Missing this Wednesday at Baal, the Dutchman has not recovered sufficiently to be able to line up at Koksijde this Friday. “Mathieu van der Poel still suffers from rib painespecially on more demanding terrains. As a result, he will not participate in tomorrow's race in Koksijde. Mathieu and his team will decide on Saturday whether he will be able to race in Dendermonde” we can read in the press release from his Alpecin-Deceuninck team.
Victim of a fall in Loenhout where he hit a pole, “MVDP” was subsequently able to take part in the World Cup stage in Besançon which he had flown over. However, he was forced to throw in the towel for the next two races on his winter schedule. And maybe three, if he were to also miss the World Cup stage in Dendermonde on Sunday, as the main party fears. “It's simply too early. I secretly hope to be ready for Dendermondeeven if I fear that this is not very fair” reacted the Batavian following
Van der Poel retrouvera Van Aert le 25 Janvier
“It’s really disappointing, because Koksijde is one of my favorite races. That’s where I won my first world title, for example,” he also admitted. A disappointment worthy of cyclo-cross fans impatient to witness the second confrontation of the winter between the world champion and Wout Van Aert. Supposed to face each other six times, the two rivals will only meet again a second time on January 25 in Maasmechelen. Driven by a burning desire to keep his rainbow tunic as world champion, “MVDP” will participate in the World Championships in Liévain on February 2, unlike the Belgian.
