With World Champion Zdenek Stybar out with injury, the hometown favorites at the 2015 World Cyclocross Championship will have to fight their way through the fields if they want a chance at first. We present to you some of our favorite contenders for the Men's Elite Race, with a quick look at all the American racers as well as some international riders to look out for. The weather shows that snow will be likely before and during the Women's and Junior races on Saturday. Only time will tell how much of that will factor into Sunday's U23 and Men's races.
Also, don't miss our Women's Elite Race Preview for Tabor.
The Favorites: Mathieu van der Poel
Van der Poel celebrates with the Dutch flag in hand in his home country at Hoogerheide. © Thomas van Bracht / Cyclocross Magazine
Mathieu van der Poel is the other hot ticket item of the 2014-15 season: a Dutch rider who was able to turn everyone’s head by winning the Superprestige Gieten this season at 19 years of age. Like Van Aert, he hasn’t finished worse than the top ten all year, which might be slightly due to moving between the U23 and Elite categories, but is impressive nonetheless.
Van der Poel’s greatest strength right now is his flawless January, which included a World Cup win in Hoogerheide and the Dutch National Championships. It was the latter which prompted him to rise beyond the U23s and target the Men’s Elite Race at Worlds, which might have led to Van Aert’s decision to follow days later. As seen in Hoogerheide, Van der Poel has the ability to attack early and hold off the field. If the young Dutch rider allows his young Belgian rival to linger around, Van der Poel could be in trouble during the sprint.
