Mathieu van der Poel will have eight strong teammates for the World Championships in Zürich, as announced by the Royal Dutch Cycling Federation (KNWU) through official channels. Alpecin-Deceuninck's defending champion will be supported by riders including Wilco Kelderman, Frank van den Broek and Bauke Mollema.
National coach Koos Moerenhout has known all year that Van der Poel was eager to defend his Glasgow world title in Zürich, even though the Dutchman admitted that the course in Switzerland might be a bit too demanding for him. For that reason, stronger climbers like Kelderman, Van den Broek, Mollema, as well as Sam Oomen and Bart Lemmen, will be part of the team. The selection is completed by strong riders Oscar Riesebeek, Sjoerd Bax and Daan Hoole, the latter also set to compete in the time trial at the World Championships.
The time trial is scheduled for September 22, with the road race taking place on September 29. The challenging course in Zürich features 274 kilometers and 4,500 meters of elevation gain. The KNWU has described the Dutch squad as "an attacking selection". Riesebeek is seen as a trusted confidant of Van der Poel, being his teammate at Alpecin-Deceuninck. "We're aiming for the highest achievable result, although it won't be easy. Many nations are in the running for medals, so I'm looking forward to an attacking race," said Moerenhout.
The Dutch team's strategy, according to the national coach — who confirmed that the Netherlands will not participate in the Mixed Team Relay — will largely depend on Van der Poel's form. "I have great confidence in this team, a mix of experienced and younger riders, suited to the difficulty of the course. I expect an exciting battle, where anything can happen on this type of terrain. And, of course, we're hoping for another fantastic result with Mathieu, and that's what we'll be fighting for as a team."
Selection Netherlands - World cycling championship 2024 - men's elite
Road race
Mathieu van der Poel
Oscar Riesebeek
Wilco Kelderman
Bart Lemmen
Frank van den Broek
Daan Hoole
Bauke Mollema
Sam Oomen
Sjoerd Bax
Time trial
Daan Hoole
Selection Netherlands - World cycling championship 2024 - men's U23
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Time trial
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Selection Netherlands - World cycling championship 2024 - men's juniors
Road race
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Jurgen Summer Month
Ruud Nagengast
Gijs Schoonvelde
Time trial
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Senna Remijn
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