Mathieu van der Poel just before start of Omloop: "Very difficult to push the pace here"

Mathieu van der Poel is still unsure if it will be possible to make a difference before the Muur van Geraardsbergen in the Omloop. The Dutch top favorite describes the race before the start as "a very tough event where it’s difficult to impose your strength."

"There are many flat sections on the big roads," Van der Poel explains. "Because of that, it often comes down to waiting for the passage over the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg. Although, of course, it also depends a bit on the wind. It’s a bit of a dilemma. It’s not like you can really make a difference on the sections before that, while you can already waste a lot of energy there that you actually need for the Muur."

However, Van der Poel can take the risk of attacking early because he has two riders behind him with a strong sprint finish: Kaden Groves and Jasper Philipsen. "Jasper and Kaden have already proven that they have a chance to win here, so I think we have many options as a team. It’s a luxury to have two top sprinters in reserve, and for me, an extra asset to keep in hand."

"Of course, it’s better for me if the race is tougher, but it’s just very difficult to settle it here definitively. You still often see a group coming back or a large group sprinting for the victory. So no, it won’t be straightforward to win the race here. Definitely not," he concludes.