'Surprise, surprise' - Van der Poel walks back decision to skip Benidorm World Cup
Mathieu van der Poel has reversed his decision to skip the World Cup in Benidorm on Sunday, with Alpecin-Premier Tech confirming on Saturday that he would line up in Spain after all.
The surprise announcement came just a day after the team had signalled that Van der Poel would not participate in Benidorm as it didn’t tally with his desire to work on his endurance ahead of the road season. Van der Poel has been training in Spain this week with his Alpecin-Premier Tech squad.
“Surprise, surprise. @mathieuvanderpoel will line up after all in Benidorm tomorrow,” Alpecin-Premier Tech announced on social media on Saturday. “After a strong week of training, the urge to race was simply too great. Our world champion will defend his leader’s jersey in the @UCIcyclocrossWC.”
Van der Poel holds a 10-point lead on Thibau Nys in the World Cup standings after winning all five races in which he has competed this winter. He is also due to race next weekend’s World Cup events in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide before chasing a record-breaking eighth cyclocross world title in Hulst on February 1.
The Dutchman has again been utterly dominant on the cyclocross circuit this winter, winning every race that he has started.
Van der Poel had always signalled that the Benidorm World Cup was an optional event on his cyclocross schedule, and he had seemingly ruled out participation earlier this week when he said: “I really need the endurance training I missed last month with all that cyclocross racing, now that I’m looking forward to the spring road classics.”
Instead, Van der Poel will be on the start line on Sunday and, of course, the overwhelming favourite for victory in Benidorm.
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