This season Kevin Pauwels has already won four races. The Sunweb rider now has set his sights on a fifth win. "My Sunweb jersey is nice but the rainbow jersey is even more beautiful," he says, revealing his main goal for the rest of the season.

This season Kevin Pauwels has been completely revived under the wings of his new trainer Peter Hespel. "He has let me train harder in preparation for the season. I was a little afraid to do so but the heavier work pays off," says Pauwels in the Mediahuis newspapers.

Pauwels is currently leading the Superprestige and the World Cup, and has a tally of four victories. "Before the season I had a goal of five victories," he says.

"If I have to choose the fifth victory, it would be the Worlds in Tabor. I want to be world champion. The course suits me and I really want to also wear that jersey among the pros. My Sunweb jersey is nice but the rainbow jersey is even more beautiful."

At the Worlds, he already has one rival less as Wout van Aert will ride with the U23 riders. "He is currently perhaps the strongest of everybody," Pauwels said. "On routes with many straights he is hard to beat.

"Sven? He is not as good as in previous years, but I am convinced that he will win races during the next few weeks. He is now being criticized harshly in the media, just like I was last year. It is no pleasure but I have not been focusing much on that."