'The urge to race was simply too great' - Mathieu van der Poel finally opts to take part in Benidorm World Cup

Just two days after he'd said that he was sacrificing his participation in the Benidorm round of the World Cup on Sunday to focus on endurance training, Mathieu van der Poel has made a dramatic last-minute announcement that he will, in fact, be taking part.

An Alpecin-Premier Tech announcement via social media said that "After a strong week of training, the urge to race was simply too great," and Van der Poel will be taking part in the sole Spanish race in the World Cup cyclo-cross series.

Van der Poel had previously said on Thursday that he "really needed the endurance training I missed last month with all that cyclo-cross racing, now that I'm looking forward to the Spring Classics."

But his name had already been placed on the provisional startlist in case there was a sudden change of heart and that decision to participate in the Spanish cyclo-cross race was taken barely 24 hours before the race on Sunday afternoon.

With wins in every single event he's taken part in this cyclo-cross season, Van der Poel's status as top favourite is amply guaranteed. His track record in Benidorm itself is also more than promising with a win in 2023, the first-ever edition, followed by a fifth place in 2024 despite a crash. Last year he didn't take part.

Van der Poel will find himself facing a notably more difficult course than in previous years, though, with a new, uphill start-finish zone coming straight after some stairs, while the previous finish line section has now been transformed into a 100-metre-long sandpit. Organisers are apparently hoping for a more tactical, slower race than in previous editions.

In the World Cup standings, Van der Poel currently is in top spot, with 200 points, thanks to five wins from five starts. Thibau Nys is second, 10 points behind, while Michael Vanthourenhout is third with 187 points.

Van der Poel is also set to race next weekend’s World Cup rounds in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide before trying for a record-breaking eighth cyclo-cross world title in Hulst on February 1.

Before that, it all but goes without saying that on Sunday in Benidorm, despite the late decision, Van der Poel will be the top favourite - just like in every race this winter.