Fresh from securing yet another cyclocross rainbow jersey, Mathieu van der Poel has swiftly shifted focus back to the road as he builds toward the highly anticipated spring classics. The Dutch star, who continues to dominate off-road racing, recently took a brief skiing holiday to decompress after a demanding winter campaign. The short alpine escape offered both physical recovery and mental refreshment before the intensity of the road season resumes.
Now back in training, van der Poel has returned to structured preparation, fine-tuning endurance and race sharpness ahead of a packed classics schedule. His team, Alpecin-Deceuninck, is carefully weighing his early-season program to ensure he peaks at the right moment. Central to that discussion is whether he will start at the traditional Opening Weekend in Belgium next week.
Opening Weekend, comprising Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, traditionally signals the start of the cobbled classics. While van der Poel does not always require extensive racing to find form, an appearance would immediately position him as the rider to beat and ignite excitement among fans eager to see him back on Flemish roads.
His broader objectives remain clear. Monument victories such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix loom large on his calendar. Given his explosive power, technical skill, and proven ability on cobbles, he enters the spring once again as a primary contender.
Whether he chooses to race next week or delay his debut, van der Poel’s return ensures the classics season will revolve around him. Fans and rivals alike know that when he lines up, the dynamic of any race instantly changes.
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