Van Aert wants to go all-in in the cyclocross races that he does ride

Wout van Aert secured a victory in his first cyclocross race in Essen, but the pressing question remains: How does he measure up against the formidable competitors in the upcoming races? Following his debut in Mol on Friday, a challenging stretch unfolds with seven more races until January 7. It's a delicate balance for Jumbo-Visma, where the road season takes precedence, yet Van Aert enjoys the liberty to go all-in in the cyclocross events he participates in.

Wout has undergone minimal cyclocross-specific preparation, and his current training regimen is geared towards road cycling," revealed Van Aert's coach, Mathieu Heijboer, in an interview with IDLProCycling.com. This is familiar information, as Van Aert's focus is on the spring season, leading him to skip the World Championships in Tabor in February. "This means he will approach the race with modest expectations,' added Heijboer."

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Van Aert wants to go all-in in cyclocross races that he does ride

Despite skipping several races in his schedule, cross fans witnessed Van Aert's immediate victory in Essen during his comeback on December 9. In an extensive interview with this website (and various other media outlets), Van Aert expresses heightened ambition. "In cyclocross, you always approach each race with the mindset to go all-in for an hour, regardless of whether you are competing against Mathieu (van der Poel, ed.) and Tom (Pidcock, ed.) or others. That's why we intentionally excluded several races from my program. This allows me to approach the races I do participate in with a free spirit and go all-in."

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, there are five cyclocross events. Choosing not to participate in all of them, Van Aert prioritizes recovery and minimal training in the subsequent week. In essence, Van Aert opts for quality over quantity in his race selection, aiming to give his best in the races he does undertake. The pivotal question remains: can he rival Van der Poel, who showcased top form upon his return in Herentals? "I didn't have an ideal preparation leading up to Mol on Friday. Returning from a training camp this week, I had various team-related obligations. My primary focus is on enjoying the competition, particularly if I can engage in a duel with Mathieu and contend at the front. That's where I belong, and that's where I want to be. Opting out of the World Cup provides me with freedom. Whether I perform well or not, I can relish the experience and use it as valuable training. From there, we'll continue to build towards the spring."

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Can Van Aert offer a bit of competition to Van der Poel?

"Heijboer, on his part, is also curious to see how well Van Aert will perform and whether he can replicate his success against Van der Poel as he did in the winter of 2022/2023. However, the early signs are not very promising." There's a chance that he won't be able to challenge Van der Poel as intensely. His primary goal is to enter the competition, enjoy the races, and emerge stronger in two weeks than he started. While we hope for exciting duels, we don't anticipate him being as formidable as he was last year, and that's a deliberate choice on his part.

Heijboer emphasizes that Van Aert doesn't need to feel constrained in this regard. Mentally, the Belgian cyclist is fully aware that this cyclocross season might unfold differently. "Once he's at the starting line, the competitive spirit kicks in, and of course, he wants to win. However, the overall perspective and approach are clear for both him and us. If he doesn't perform exceptionally in a particular race, he has the capacity to move past it easily." As Van Aert articulated when asked about skipping the World Championship, "A change was necessary now for a bit more mental freedom and to conserve energy for my other goals."