The Dutch team will be defending its home turf at Cyclocross Worlds for the first time since 2014 when it hits the course at Valkenburg this weekend. The Dutch Cycling Federation recently announced a 25-member squad for the Valkenburg-Limburg Worlds.
Headlining the team is wunderkind Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus), who will be looking to shake off his Worlds bad luck and win his second Elite title in front of the familiar orange-clad fans.
Mathieu van der Poel heads up the Dutch team for the 2018 World Championships. 2018 Telenet UCI World Cup Nommay. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
The Women’s team features some good and bad news for those looking to see the nation’s top riders. 2016 world champion Thalita de Jong (Experza-Footlogix) made the team after an abbreviated season after recovering from an injury, while Sophie de Boer (Parkhotel Valkenburg – Destil Cycling) ended her season earlier this month due to fatigue and will not be racing at Worlds.
Thalita de Jong made the Dutch team despite beginning her comeback at the beginning of this month. 2018 GP Sven Nys Baal. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Team Sunweb) returns to defend his U23 Men’s title while the U23 Women’s winner in Bieles Annemarie Worst (ERA-Circus) will be racing Elites for the first time this year.
The full Dutch roster, as announced, is below.
Elite Women
1. Maud Kaptheijns
2. Lucinda Brand
3. Annemarie Worst
4. Thalita de Jong
5. Marianne Vos
Elite Men
1. Mathieu van der Poel
2. Lars van der Haar
3. Corné van Kessel
4. David van der Poel
5. Stan Godrie
U23 Women
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
2. Inge van der Heijden
3. Fleur Nagengast
4. Manon Bakker
5. Yara Kastelijn
U23 Men
1. Joris Nieuwenhuis
2. Jens Dekker
3. Sieben Wouters
4. Maik van der Heijden
5. Kelvin Bakx
6. Thymen Arensman
Junior Men
1. Ryan Kamp
2. Pim Ronhaar
3. Luke Verburg
4. Bart Artz
For more from Valkenburg – Limburg, see our dedicated 2018 Cyclocross World Championships page.
