Fatalistic or pragmatic – Tom Meeusen has a clear view of the hierarchy in the cyclo-cross world.At present, the Telenet-Fidea Lions rider does not how he, or the rest of the field, can dethrone Wout Van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. When both stars have been together at the start of a race this season, it has been hard for anyone to challenge them. 

For his part, Tom Meeusen took advantage of their absence at the Waaslandcross in Sint-Niklaas to raise his arms. It was a rare opportunity that he was keen to grab. This Saturday Van Aert and van der Poel will continue their rivalry in Essen at the fourth round of the DVV Trofee.  Meeusen aspires to a good performance in his home region but he is under no illusions.

"I always want to be good in my area but I am realistic: if Wout Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel are starting, I have little chance of winning,” he said in a statement. “I won the race in 2009 as a U23 rider, but it was too long ago for us to even consider it. I prefer to think back to my second place last year behind an unbeatable Van Aert."

On Saturday, there is a good chance that the Dutch-Belgian pair will monopolize the first two places. Behind them, it will be a battlefor the podium. 

"Frustrating? It is the law of sport,” he said. “We can only try to be better and to reduce the gap to them. If we can’t, we have to change tactics. I always ride for victory but in Hamme, it cost me dearly. I could follow Mathieu in the early laps but I finished 13th. The difference is too great to take risks. Hopefully they are on a worse day. I wonder if they can keep this form throughout the year because the level is very high.”

A difficulty has been added to the course in Essen. A set of stairs will be tackled 250 meters from the line, and this could benefit the technically strong riders, including Meeusen. The race, however, remains fast and the two main riders will benefit for a new battle.

"Sven Nys sometimes dared to make a tactical race and it allowed us to believe in victory. Wout and Mathieu always ride full gas, they do not play around. In the third or fourth round, they start the engine . And we don’t see them anymore.”