Van Aert, Aerts, Cant lead Belgian squad for Cyclo-cross World Championships
Wout van Aert and Toon Aerts have been named as team leaders of the Belgian men's squad for the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, in the hope that one of them can take on and beat the dominant Mathieu van der Poel.
Sanne Cant will lead the women's squad as she targets another world title, with Loes Sels, Ellen Van Loy and Laura Verdonschot also selected. Eli Iserbyt leads the men's under-23 team, while Thibau Nys - the son of two-time world champion Sven Nys - is part of the men's junior team.
This year's Cyclo-cross World Championships will be held in Bogense, Denmark on the weekend of February 2-3, with a circuit that looks out over the sea. The elite women's race will be held on Saturday and the elite men's event on Sunday.
Belgium can field seven riders and could add an eighth place if Toon Aerts wins the UCI World Cup series at next week's final race in Hoogerheide. Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout confirmed that Tim Merlier, rather than Thijs Aerts, will be Belgian's eighth rider if Aerts completes his control of the World Cup series.
Aerts beat Van Aert to win the recent Belgian national title, but Van Aert turned the tables when he beat Aerts in a sprint to win Sunday's World Cup race in Pont-Château, France. Van der Poel missed the race to rest up for the World Championships.
Cant did not compete in Pont-Château, with Marianne Vos of the Netherlands going on to win the elite women's race and secure her overall success in the series. Cant and Vos are among the favourites for the women's title but others could be a threat after a number close races throughout the cyclo-cross season.
"I have discussed the selection with the captains and they understand them all," Vanthourenhout said when announcing the team.
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