Where Van der Poel is already making the switch to gravel, is Pogacar already hinting slightly at 2025?
Cycling
The World Gravel Championship 2024 is scheduled this Sunday in Leuven, Belgium. This includes one distinct top favorite: Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, as man-in-form and reigning world champion in the field. The rider from Alpecin-Deceuninck picked up his gravel bike this week to prepare for the World Championships.
Normally, Van der Poel and his Australian cycling friend Freddy Ovett work out their rides on the Spanish coast, where they enjoy the nice weather. However, Ovett has taken up residence in Belgium for this World Championship opportunity, where he and Van der Poel can prepare for next Sunday's World Championship in Leuven. The men cycled almost 105 kilometers were already cycled on Wednesday, heading into the Kempen region together.
"Warm welcome," Ovett wrote on Strava, referring to Wednesday's rainfall. He also included a photo of the two men, including Van der Poel, in the Alpecin-Deceuninck jeans outfit. We didn't see him in that outfit too often in races as a world champion. However, he did wear it regularly in training, considering that he claims to do much of his training on gravel in Belgium.
Is Tadej Pogacar hinting at participation for World Gravel Championship 2025 in Nice?
Some 1,250 kilometers south, some men also trained on gravel, but in the Nice hinterland: Tadej Pogacar, Michael Matthews, and Tim Wellens took their gravel bikes there for a 107-kilometer ride. It is known that Pogacar would like to take part in the gravel World Championship, for which next year's edition seems an ideal opportunity: after all, the World Championship will take place in Nice, not far from Monaco, the hometown of Pogacar and numerous other pros.
Pogacar actually wanted to be in Cittadella, where the first gravel World Championship was held in 2022. There he was indeed, but he was also a VIP from Colnago. As a fresh world champion himself, he will be seen at the Giro dell'Emilia on Saturday, and one week later, he plans to peak once more at the Tour of Lombardy.
The calendar for the new cyclo-cross season is now online! Check it out here. Or check out our general calendars for the remainder of the season for the men and women's races.
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Latest Comments
- I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024