"With the women we had 11 or 12 wildcards. With the men's team I gave away only one wildcard, and it's to Mathieu. And that's the one you want to give it to. Mathieu signed up at the last minute and I was very happy," Laurens ten Dam remarked, highlighting the strategic decision of selecting Van der Poel, a rider who is crucial for the team's success and brings immense talent to the competition.
"Yeah, it was a big goal for me. It's really difficult to finish it off as a favourite. The pace was high all day," stated Van der Poel, emphasizing the challenges he faced during the race and the significance of winning the gravel championship after a tough previous week in road racing.
"It's super nice to add another rainbow to the collection in another discipline as well, so I'm super happy with this one," Van der Poel expressed joy over winning yet another championship, marking his successful transition between cycling disciplines and exemplifying his diverse expertise in the sport.
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