Van der Poel has rib problems and misses cyclocross in Baal

Mathieu van der Poel will not be in action today at the Baal cross country. The Dutchman still has too many rib problems after a fall in Loenhout, reports his team Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Van der Poel managed to win the cyclocross in Loenhout last Friday, but did not cross the finish line unscathed. During a fall, the world champion hit a pole.

In recent days, the seemingly unbeatable cyclist’s complaints have gotten worse. This is why he decided not to start Baal on New Year’s Day.

This suits Van der Poel’s competition well. The Dutchman managed to win all five cyclo-cross races he participated in. He did it in eight days.

Van der Poel also flies without threat to victory in front of “his own” French crowd in Besançon

The question remains whether Van der Poel will ride in Koksijde on January 3 or Dendermonde on January 5. His team says it is closely monitoring the recovery of the versatile pilot.

If Van der Poel manages to be fit again on January 5, he will meet his main competitor Wout van Aert in Belgium. For the six-time cyclo-cross world champion, the World Cup on February 2 is the main objective this winter.