Conditional designation may be removed: Wout van Aert ends the cyclo-cross season in Benidorm, but cancels Zonhoven | Cyclocross

“It's a conscious choice to drive a shorter programme,” Van Aert said on the Jumbo-Visma website about a month ago. “Last year I noticed that it was mentally difficult to really focus on the cross season and then transition to the spring. I decided for myself that I no longer wanted to leave anything to chance when it comes to the spring classics. That is why, with a heavy heart, I am running a more limited program.”

Van Aart initially opted for eight crosses as he would certainly be the starter. His appearances in Sonhoven and Benidorm were then subject to change. This roughly coincides with the team's training camp in January, and that caused some problems, but now the decisions have been made. Sonhoven will go into the water on January 7, but will first be in Benidorm two weeks later.

The cross in Spain will be his last of a total of nine crosses this winter. This brings a total of four duels with world champion Mathieu van der Poel, which are in Holst, Bale, Koksijde and Benidorm. Van Aert: “We are in training in Spain in January and I was anyway planning to stay an extra week after that. The cross in Benidorm is the perfect incentive to bridge the gap between training and that extra week of training.