<\/p>\n
Van der Poel always liked to launch his attack early in the race and then ride solo to the finish line. However, Al argues he has recently waited to the final laps in order to make his move. “He waited for his moment, because riding at the front for a full hour also costs a lot of energy.”<\/p>\n
Ten Dam agreed, linking the approach to lessons learned last winter. \u201cThat also has to do with the fact that Van der Poel noticed last year that cyclocross can take a big bite out of his energy, when he won 12 races in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Ten Dam, the strategy makes sense. \u201cTry to win a few races on efficiency instead of constantly flexing your muscles, like Tadej Pogacar and he do in the spring. That\u2019s something that\u2019s clearly been thought through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zonhoven wasn’t a walk in the park<\/p>\n
Ten Dam noted, however, that Van der Poel had to work harder in Zonhoven, as he went solo in the first lap and no rivals could catch him. \u201cThis cost much more power than the other races he won, I think. In those, he often still waited things out in the wheels.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, both Ten Dam and Al suggested that this measured approach meant Van der Poel did not need to dig deeply into his reserves. \u201cMathieu has felt that riding at the front for an hour has consequences,\u201d Ten Dam said. \u201cMaybe then you can\u2019t train as well for a week because you\u2019re completely exhausted. Now I think he leaves for Spain feeling fairly fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zonhoven still provided another clear example of his absurd superiority, even when things went wrong. Van der Poel revealed after the race: \u201cIt hurt my legs because I had to ride for a long time on those flat tyres. But I didn\u2019t panic, because I was having a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even if he had that setback, his victory was never in doubt.\u00a0Al (and all of us) was astonished. \u201cTwo flat tyres, just after the finish straight. Front and back, right? Then it\u2019s still a very long way to the material post and he only lost 20 seconds,\u201d he said. \u201cHe still had to go into the pit once more and he just drove into it with two flat tires. We didn’t even see it! Those tubes are glued in place and can’t move, but it’s not fun.\u201d<\/p>\n