With the bulk of his cyclo-cross season completed and successfully dominated, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) will now head to Spain to both prepare for the 'cross World Championships in Hulst on February 1 and the road Spring Classics.
After his thrilling return in Namur on December 14, Van der Poel put on exhibition after exhibition throughout the Kerstperiode, winning nine races in a row and proving that he remains the top favourite to win a record-breaking eighth world title in the discipline come February.
He likely won't race off-road until the Maasmechelen round of the World Cup on January 24, when he begins his final approach to Worlds, but the round in Benidorm a week earlier could be added to his schedule.
If he does win in Hulst, it would see him sit alone at the top of the record books for the most men's elite world titles, having matched Erik De Vlaeminck's record last year in Liévin.
"I'm happy to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of training for a bit. It's good to be back in the sun," Van der Poel told Wielerflits, speaking after the Zonhoven World Cup.
"You always need those extra hours after such a busy period with so much cyclo-cross. On the one hand, I'm really working towards the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hulst. That remains a big goal, so I'll be doing some interval training every now and then to be in top form at the start and aim for the rainbow jersey. I'm really going to work towards that."
Also fresh on Van der Poel's mind is protecting his body from injury, following the unfortunate ankle fracture that long-term rival Wout van Aert suffered in Mol, after crashing out of an exciting duel between the pair in snowy conditions.
Van Aert was forced to end his cyclo-cross season due to ankle surgery and will now look to be back in top shape for the Classics, where he and Van der Poel will meet again. The Dutchman was full of sympathy for his rival, having himself got injured during the 'cross season last year with a broken rib.
"I was subconsciously thinking about it during the cyclo-cross. It really sucks what happened to Wout," said Van der Poel.
"He's already had so much adversity, and of course, you wouldn't wish that on anyone. Let's just hope that his road season preparations aren't jeopardised.
"It just goes to show that every fall, no matter how innocent it seems, can have serious consequences. I haven't forgotten how I ended up with a rib injury myself last year during training camp in Spain after colliding with that post in Loenhout. These are things that are best avoided."
While that eighth CX rainbow jersey will be in his mind as he trains in Spain these next few weeks, Van der Poel has already started thinking about the Classics, where he will look to retain his Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix crowns, while also trying to pry back the Tour of Flanders crown from Tadej Pogačar.
"Of course, there will also be a lot of endurance training in my schedule, with that spring season in mind. I'll be putting in a lot of hours, with the necessary rest breaks here and there," he said.
"I got through this Christmas period well, but I'm certainly not at my best yet. I think I was definitely better at this point last year, but I can't complain. I think I can leave for Spain with a good feeling now; last year was a bit of a disappointment with the broken rib I suffered. I just have to be happy with how everything went in the past races."
