Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel face a compressed build-up to the Montréal worlds after scheduling their arrival in Canada for Tuesday, just five days before Sunday’s elite men’s road race.
The two classics stars are among the leading contenders for the rainbow jersey. Yet their travel plan leaves limited time to adjust to a six-hour time difference before a 273km race on the Mount Royal circuit.
Several key rivals have already spent far longer in Canada. Isaac del Toro, Paul Seixas, Tom Pidcock, Remco Evenepoel, and Brandon McNulty raced the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal earlier this month.
That gave them time to adapt, train, and compete on roads that will help shape the world championship race.
Montréal worlds favorites take different routes
Van Aert knows Montréal well enough, having raced there twice and finished second in 2022. Van der Poel has never contested the Canadian WorldTour one-days.
Wednesday’s training ride on the finishing circuit will therefore offer the 2023 world champion his first direct look at the roads awaiting him.
Former Belgian pro Jan Bakelants believes the late travel schedule creates an avoidable obstacle. He told Het Laatste Nieuws that leaving so late is “by no means an advantage.”
Bakelants said he understood Van Aert’s wish to spend time at home after weeks away. He also understood Van der Poel’s choice to race in Luxembourg. Still, he warned that jet lag could remain in their bodies.
Belgian Cycling doctor Kris Van der Mieren also said the issue matters. The flight from Belgium to Montréal lasts more than seven hours and combines with a six-hour time shift.
Van der Mieren told Het Nieuwsblad that ordinary calculations do not always apply to riders of this level. But he added that the body’s sleep and wake rhythm remains tightly regulated.
He said shifting that rhythm by six hours disrupts the system considerably. In the evening, the body lowers cortisol and testosterone while entering recovery mode, which does not suit a major effort.
Elite athletes may adapt faster than most people. Van der Mieren suggested they might need one day for every one-and-a-half or two hours of time difference.
That estimate would leave Van Aert and Van der Poel needing roughly three to four days to adjust. A poor night of sleep could still carry consequences into Sunday.
Form is clear, recovery is the question
The uncertainty does not concern form. Both riders have shown strong condition this month.
Van Aert comes from a demanding Vuelta a España, where he won two stages and the green points jersey. The race featured heavy climbing and severe heat.
He skipped Sunday’s individual time trial, stayed home to recover, and spent time with his family before traveling to Canada. He arrived later than expected for Tuesday’s flight and did not speak to waiting journalists.
The attention reflects the stakes. Van Aert owns many major victories, but the elite road world title remains absent from his palmarès.
Belgium will also count on Evenepoel, who spent weeks at altitude in the Italian Alps. He won GP Québec and then claimed a record fourth consecutive world championship time trial title Sunday.
Greg Van Avermaet and Thibau Nys also traveled with Belgian team members and staff. Gianni Vermeersch was less concerned, saying he had raced in Canada in the past two years and also left quite late.
Van der Poel took the same late approach and traveled with his partner, who is expecting their first child in the coming months.
He skipped the Canadian WorldTour races after his mountain bike world title bid ended badly in Italy. He returned on the road at the five-day Tour de Luxembourg.
Any doubts about his condition faded quickly. Van der Poel won two stages and finished with a 174km solo victory Sunday.
He played down favorite status afterward, saying the Luxembourg raid did not change much. He called himself “one of the outsiders,” while acknowledging the course still offers opportunities.
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