Building up to Omloop? Mathieu van der Poel completes tough training ride
Just four more nights of sleep and it’s time: the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will be on the schedule. Whether Mathieu van der Poel will start the Flemish opening classic is still unclear, but the Dutchman is continuing to work on his spring form in Spain.
The leader of Alpecin-Premier Tech is currently knocking out essential training rides around his beloved Costa Blanca as preparation for his road season debut. Naturally, he does this with his good friend and regular training partner Freddy Ovett.
On Monday, the two cycling friends spent nearly five hours on the bike near Denia for a demanding training ride of 157 kilometers, including almost 2,700 meters of climbing. An ideal way to warm up the legs for a standout performance in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad? We’ll have to wait a little longer for clarity from the Van der Poel camp.
It’s a question that no one has an answer to yet, but at his team Alpecin-Premier Tech, they’re certainly hopeful. In an interview with Wieler Revue, sporting director Christoph Roodhooft expressed in early February that he would definitely welcome a participation from his team leader. "I think it would be good if he participates, but only if the buildup goes well," Roodhooft stated some time ago.
Leading up to the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hulst, Van der Poel told our website he was considering a debut in the Opening Classic on February 28th, but after that World Championship, he immediately indicated that the Omloop was still uncertain. The all-rounder then explained he would only make a decision the week before the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
