Sven Vanthourenhout puts EK words De Knegt in scale: 'Clear agreements on what can and cannot be done'

This weekend, the European Cyclocross Championships are taking place in Pontchateau, France, and as is traditional, there is one country that everyone pays special attention to: Belgium. Belgium, the cradle of cyclocross, will compete with a strong team in the men's event, facing their equally strong Dutch rivals. IDLProCycling.com had the opportunity to speak with the Belgian national coach, Sven Vanthourenhout.

We compared the comments of the eloquent Belgian coach with those of his Dutch counterpart, Gerben de Knegt, who discussed the Belgian team and the team battle between Baloise Trek Lions (featuring Belgian Thibau Nys and Dutchmen Lars van der Haar, Pim Ronhaar, and Joris Nieuwenhuis) and Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal (with Eli Iserbyt and Michael Vanthourenhout).

De Knegt mentioned that Thibau Nys, who is Belgian, is not part of the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal team. Vanthourenhout believes this could work to their advantage, and De Knegt speculated that race conditions would play a significant role in deciding tactical approaches. Vanthourenhout agreed, emphasizing that weather conditions would also be a key factor in determining their strategy. "I think the race conditions will decide to some extent anyway how we should approach it tactically. You also have to be able to estimate the course well, which you can only do after you have seen how the weather conditions weigh as a result," said the Belgian selector.

Vanthourenhout: "There's always talk and discussion about tactics"

In 2016, there was also a European Championship in Pontchateau, and Vanthourenhout remembers it well. Toon Aerts won that race, and tactics played a significant role. "If we get a scenario like that European Championship in Pontchateau, where the race stayed together for a long time, it will become more of a tactical cross. I don't see any problems with that. People always talk about tactics, but history has shown that it hasn't often gone wrong in such situations," he believes in the Belgian team's capabilities.

Vanthourenhout succinctly outlines what Sunday's race will be all about. "The weather conditions over there are very harsh, and I've never been to Pontchateau under such circumstances. So we really need to evaluate how the course will be affected. If it turns into a slow, grueling race like the Koppenberg, there won't be much room for intricate tactics. In such cases, the race dynamics dictate the strategy of the day. On the other hand, if it turns out to be a fast race, we'll have to discuss strategies with the riders," he explains. These discussions will likely take place on Friday or Saturday, after everyone has had a chance to assess the circuit.

Belgian national coach believes that competition between strong Belgians and Dutch riders is only good for cyclocross

"Every plan we draw up is relative. It's more about establishing clear agreements regarding what is and isn't feasible. In cyclocross, the physically strongest rider often prevails, and today, we see a fierce competition between a few top Belgian and Dutch riders. I believe this healthy competition benefits the sport," he continues.

"Van der Haar is a rider with a strong sense of honor, a true winner," Vanthourenhout observes, looking at his likely main opponent. "This characteristic drives him to seize opportunities whenever they arise. Therefore, we must be prepared to assess various situations thoroughly and prevent misunderstandings from occurring," the Belgian selector emphasizes. "We expect a strong performance from the Netherlands, just as they anticipate from us. Both Gerben and I will be making plans and agreements. In that regard, our roles are quite similar for the upcoming weekend."

Regarding the European Championship in early November, Vanthourenhout leaves no room for doubt. "I don't see any other option. After the European Championships, we gradually build up to the Christmas period, which is a crucial part of the season. We also have the World Championships immediately after that, leaving us with very few alternatives. The combination with the Koppenbergcross is a nice touch, even if the races are often close together," notes the man who will be leading the Belgian team this weekend.