Cyclist Laurens Sweeck is set to make his return to cyclocross this Sunday in the Superprestige Overijse, following a muscle injury. Sweeck sustained the injury during the Exact Cross Beringen event, causing him to miss the World Cup race in Waterloo won by Thibau Nys. In a conversation with Sporza, he indicated that despite ramping up the intensity in training without issues, there are still question marks surrounding his comeback.
Sweeck noted that he has maintained a cycling regimen over the past two weeks, thereby minimising fitness loss. He experienced minimal discomfort while cycling, although he pointed out that walking or running could be challenging. On the subject of missing the American race, Sweeck suggested that staying in Europe might even provide him with a slight advantage over riders who travelled overseas, though he tempered this by stating that the challenging Overijse circuit doesn’t entirely suit him. He also hasn’t fully tested his running ability post-injury, hence he’ll start the race with some uncertainties.
Lastly, Sweeck shared his impressions on the performances of his fellow cyclocross competitors. He wasn’t surprised by Gerben Kuypers’ strong showing in Ardooie, noting that he had also performed well in Beringen despite suffering from a crash and a puncture. He further acknowledged the marked improvement in Thibau Nys, stating that while Nys has always had strong technical skills, his physical strength has noticeably advanced, displaying a level of prowess not previously seen from him.
Main photo credit: Cor Vos
