Mathieu van der Poel is looking ahead to the World Championships, and the Dutch rider will be competing in either the X2O Trofee or the Besançon World Cup in Hamme the weekend before the main event in Hoogerheide on February 5, which will be his additional races to his cyclocross schedule.

Van der Pol, who won the X20 Trofee in Herentals on Tuesday, outlined his preparations for the World Championships in an interview on the In het Wiel podcast (opens in new tab).

As previously confirmed, van der Pol will compete in the X2O Trophy in Koksijde on Thursday, the Sonnhoven World Cup on Sunday, and the Benidorm World Cup on the 22nd.

He will also add one more race before the World Championships, either in Hamme on January 28 or in Besançon the next day.

The Alpecin-Desseuninck rider will attend a training camp in Spain for two weeks between the Sonnenhofen and Benidorm World Cup races.

"After the camp, I hope to come back a little better.

"I will ride cross the last weekend before the World Cup, but I don't know which yet.

Van der Pol won his fourth win of the winter in Herentals on Tuesday, winning a battle with eternal rival Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).

The two broke away on the second lap, and the rest of the race was a back-and-forth battle, but a rear wheel puncture prevented Van Aert from contesting the final kick, and the finale was not the best of finishes.

"I think we were evenly matched. 'I wanted to jump into the technical part of the forest first so I had something left for the last half lap. That's when Wout got a flat tire. It's a shame he couldn't save his chance."

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Van der Pol, who is seeking his fifth rainbow jersey, and Van Aert, who is seeking his fourth rainbow jersey, are the overwhelming favorites to win the Hogelheide World Championship on February 5.

Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), who currently holds the rainbow jersey, has already abandoned his title defense in order to focus on preparing for the road season, especially the spring classics.