"I can't wait to compete in a race that thrilled me on TV last year: I'm ready to prove myself on the snow". These are the words of Mathieu Van Der Poel.
Source: press release / Vitesse
His last image in Val di Sole is the one, with his arms raised, at the finish line of the MTB World Cup in 2019. Since then, first the COVID, then the injuries and finally the goals on the road have been between Mathieu Van der Poel and the return as a protagonist in Trentino. But the wait is about to end: the Dutch phenomenon, multiple world champion in cyclo-cross, has included the stage of the Cyclo-cross World Cup in Val di Sole, in Vermiglio, as the fourth appointment in his winter calendar, and he will certainly try to resume in the way he had left Val di Sole – winning.
“As soon as I realized I could put it on the calendar, I had no hesitation in including this World Cup in my schedule,” explained Mathieu Van der Poel. “I only have good memories of Val di Sole, here I won in MTB in 2019 and got on the podium the previous year, and I'm happy to be able to compete here also in cyclocross. I saw the event on TV last year, and was thrilled with the course. It's been a long time since I ran on snow for the last time, but I think it's a suitable surface for my characteristics. I can't wait."
However, December 17th will certainly not be the only star in the men's event: in the front row to contend for the scepter will be another of the multidisciplinary super-talents who have now established themselves on the world stage. Last year, the first time of Vermiglio was for Tom Pidcock one of the very first seasonal appearances in cyclo-cross, and he had to settle for the place of honor behind an irrepressible Van Aert: this time, the Briton returns wearing the rainbow jersey and all intentions to make full loot.
With the Belgian winner in 2021 destined not to defend the title, due to the concomitance with the withdrawal from the road of his Team Jumbo-Visma, Van der Poel - Pidcock will therefore be the duel most awaited by the Italian public and beyond: already the first opening hours of the online ticket office (su www.valdisolebikeland.com) confirmed all the expectations for an event awarded last season as the round of the year of the Cyclo-cross World Cup, and also very popular on television screens from every corner of the world.
The Italian stage of the World Cup is awaited not only by enthusiasts, but by the coordinators of the world circuit themselves, Flanders Classics, as underlined by the words of CEO Tomas Van den Spiegel on the occasion of his recent visit to Vermiglio.
"Last year's success demonstrates how Val di Sole has the potential to become a fixed stage, a new World Cup classic. We are sure that this year too there will be a great response from the public, with arrivals also from Belgium and Holland after last year's restrictions."
"Great champions like to compete in the snow, they said it themselves after last year's competition,” continues Van den Spiegel. “In 2021 we saw Vos, Van Aert, Pidcock, and this year we can't wait to have Mathieu back on the circuit after the injuries that limited him, and to see a great show at the race in Val di Sole. "
