today, 12:30 | by Wilbert van der Velde
The World Cycling Championships are just around the corner, so speculation about the favorites can begin. On the podcast Wuyts & Vlaeminck Michel Wuyts and Jan Bakelants went through a large part of the favourites. ‘That means that he is more like the other Belgian leaders to the World Cup with a small dot.’
The men’s World Championship road race in Glasgow is scheduled for Sunday, August 6. The course is over 270 kilometers long and is characterized by numerous short climbs and an enormous amount of turns. Good technique with the bike and explosiveness are therefore required.
Mathieu van der Poel excels in both parts and is therefore one of the top favorites. However, the performance of the Dutchman could not convince Wuyts, although new information increases his confidence in the chances of the all-rounder. “I thought: it is not possible that Van der Poel is already stranded,” says the cycling analyst about the various times that the rider was part of the breakaway.
‘On the other hand, I heard that he got into the bus in mountain stages and that he then started driving blocks from bus to bus. Ticket return and again’, says Wuyts. Bakelants sees that the World Cup course has been made for two riders. ‘Van der Poel and Van Aert are written everywhere on this course. That’s what we’re aiming for. Even if you have to watch out for third dogs, like in Yorkshire with Pedersen (Mads, ed.).’ Wuyts adds: ‘There has been a European Championship there (Glasgow, ed.) before. Then Matteo Trentin won for Van der Poel and Van Aert.
Wuyts: If there is anyone who can escape it
The winner of the World Cup in Yorkshire could easily be the winner in Glasgow. After all, Pedersen drove around in the Tour de France in an impressive way. “I’ve never seen Pedersen ride better. The Pedersen of today is 2.5 times the Pedersen who became world champion. He finished tenth in the climbing time trial, ahead of a bear… On the other hand, Van Aert finished third there’, Wuyts weighs the level of the extremely strong Dane.
“I think van Aert is intrinsically the better rider, but Pedersen may have the luxury of being less versatile,” says Bakelants. ‘It is easier for him to choose, and if he chooses, he is often also accurate in finishing.’
The next driver to be discussed is Dutch champion Dylan van Baarle. ‘He is someone who can peak like no other. He drove excellently in the Tour without any ambition of his own,’ said Bakelants about the rider who won Paris-Roubaix last year. Wuyts also sees a dangerous outsider in the Dutchman, who can fool the top favorites Van der Poel, Van Aert and Evenepoel. ‘If there’s anyone who can escape it, it’s Van Baarle.’
He is happy and lives on a pink cloud. I think we will see a very strong Van Aert.’
On Monday it was announced that Tadej Pogacar will drive the World Cup. The Slovenian will contest both the road race and the time trial. Wuyts does not immediately have high expectations of it. “He never shows what he does in the Tour at World Cups.”
Then there is Van Aert. “I think it’s his main goal and I believe in his chances. He also finds a course that suits his size, it suits him better than Evenepoel’, says Bakelants about his fellow countryman with whom he sometimes goes on training. ‘The timing with the Tour and the delivery of his son was not ideal. However, that is now behind us. He is happy and lives on a pink cloud. I think we are going to see a very strong Van Aert. He’s very focused.’
‘We went to the Ardennes on Friday to train for six to seven hours.’ The weather was nasty. ‘We drove for six hours in the pouring rain’, Bakelants laughs. ‘I can’t remember that those training sessions with Wout were so difficult, but maybe it’s because I’ve been out for a while. In any case, it looked very good, a smooth pedal stroke. Of course he left the Tour earlier. That certainly won’t be a disadvantage. I think the stars are right.’
The analysts also cast their eyes on defending champion Evenepoel. The world champion concluded his last race in the rainbow jersey with a victory. He won his third Clasica San Sebastian by beating Pello Bilbao in the sprint. He has started in three one-day races this season and won them all. He has created all weapons for himself. Put him in a situation and he will work it out’, Wuyts shows his awe.
Wuyts charmed by self-confidence Evenepoel
What was striking in the Basque one-day race was that Evenepoel could not release Bilbao. “I think if he could have done it, he would have done it,” Wuyts and Bakelants sound unanimous. ‘It’s better to cover the last eight kilometers well away from Bilbao. In this way, however, he has created a weapon with which he can start the final of the World Cup with some reassurance.
‘A sprint of two is always dirty and it’s nice if you can draw on positive experiences,’ says Wuyts. ‘So he can start a sprint with two with confidence. If the other person is someone of Pedersen caliber, then we are of course talking about a different story.’
‘What charmed me even more was the self-confidence he exuded, the permanent control over what happened. He did by far the most number of head turns in the final and there was not a speck of fatigue and decay. That means that he draws more on the other Belgian leaders to the World Cup with a small dot.’
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2023-08-01 10:30:00
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