Wout van Aert confirms late entry to cyclocross World Championships in Liévin

divWout-van-Aert-admits-stupid-mistake-takes-him-out-of-much-hyped-World-Cup-contest-versus-Van-der-Poeldiv-1

Wout van Aert has confirmed he will compete at the cyclocross World Championships in Liévin this Sunday, a decision made after weeks of deliberation with coaches and his national team. The Belgian rider, a perennial favourite in cyclocross, announced the news earlier this week, describing his excitement at the opportunity to race on the global stage.

Van Aert revealed his decision was made following his performance at the Maasmechelen World Cup in late October. Speaking about the choice, he said, “I’m feeling good, and my winter has gone well. The World Championships only recently came into my mind and after Maasmechelen the Belgian team coach, my coach at Team Visma | Lease a Bike and I decided to compete.”

Van Aert has had a winter focused largely on preparation for the road season, making this late addition to his calendar unexpected. He acknowledged that his build-up has been unconventional, saying, “Obviously the preparation has been very different, but I’ll give it my best.”

Despite the altered focus of his training, Van Aert’s motivation remains strong. He added, “I am excited to start in such a beautiful race, and I think that this extra boost is doing me good in the lead-up to bigger goals on the road.”

This announcement sets the stage for an intense battle on Sunday, with fans eager to see how Van Aert measures up against his old rival Mathieu van der Poel who has won all 7 cyclocross races he’s taken part in this season.

Main photo credit: Getty