"After the World Championships on the road, I first took a few weeks of rest”, the Team Jumbo-Visma rider says. Van Aert hasn't participated in a race yet, even though the cross season is already well underway. A conscious choice, according to the Belgian. "The previous crosses came too early for me. I shouldn't start again too soon. But Sunday feels like the right time. After watching the last races on television, it's started to itch again."

Sunday, the rider will be at the start of the World Cup in Antwerp. The anticipation is big following last year's excellent winter, during which Van Aert won nine races. "I'm not concerned with that myself. Last year I was immediately good, and now people expect the same. What I did last year should not be considered normal”, Van Aert knows.

"Before a cross, I don't put any pressure on myself. Those years are over. Compared to before, when the pressure to win was still big, I now take far more pleasure from the cross”, Van Aert explained. In addition to his performance in Antwerp, he will compete six more times this calendar year. Van Aert doesn’t know what lies in store for him in 2023. "I’m not working on that yet. We'll plan that later. First, the race in Antwerp this Sunday. I'm going there with a lot of pleasure."