Now a two-time under-23 cyclocross world champion, Tibor Del Grosso is aiming to ‘get to the highest’ of each the street and cyclocross disciplines and can open his WorldTour profession at Paris-Good subsequent month.
The 21-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider took his first two .2-level wins final season on the Gran Premio New York Metropolis one-day race and prologue of the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt, additionally ending runner-up within the SD WORX BW Traditional.
A dominant cyclo-cross season has seen Del Grosso win each under-23 occasion he entered and the elite Dutch Nationwide Championship.
With a rising popularity, Del Grosso is tempering his expectations and being reasonable in regards to the degree he can attain heading into 2025, with out placing extreme strain on himself for the street season.
“I discover expectations tough. I simply hope to turn out to be the most effective model of myself,” he stated. “Whether or not I can get to the highest on the street and the cross, the longer term will inform that now. However that’s definitely my ambition. To sometime run to the highest of the elite.
“My ‘cross season is over, so I’ll take some relaxation and construct up in the direction of the street season and hopefully have some enjoyable and develop.
“I’m unsure if I’ve particular races [to target]. I simply hope to perhaps do properly in among the smaller races after which be there to assist the crew within the greater races. I begin in Paris-Good, that shall be a troublesome first race, it would simply be studying and I hope so as to add one thing to the crew.”
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, critiques and knowledgeable shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Del Grosso is aiming to be the newest multi-discipline star on the Alpecin-Deceuninck roster, following within the footsteps of Mathieu van der Poel.
“The street calendar might get a little bit of precedence,” added Del Grosso. “As quickly because the cross season begins, I all the time go for that with the total 100%. That can stay.
“I additionally suppose it is simply incredible to mix them each. In winter I am wanting ahead to the street season and summer season in the direction of ‘cross.
“That is the right mixture for me.”
Del Grosso received his second U23 males’s Cyclo-cross World Championship title in Liévin on Saturday, driving clear from his opponents on the primary lap and pulling a successful hole out of 56 seconds.
After additionally successful the under-23 World Cup total and European Championships he was the agency favorite heading to France, with the expectation of a nation on his shoulders.
“It is all the time constructive, and if you find yourself considerably within the highlight, you then’re in all probability doing one thing proper,” he stated.
“Hopefully. I can take that with me. The strain was additionally there final yr [at Worlds]. And I felt this each race.
“In order that’s the place I simply specific myself. After all, it retains up when you will have a lot enjoyable. Then that spotlight can also be added.
“I would quite be a favorite on a course like this, then it’s a must to hit the favorite. In order that’s all positive with me.”
Del Grosso was firmly in management in Liévin and confirmed composure to maintain including to his benefit by the technical sections of the course. With a combination of quick steep banks, technical sections and rideable grassland, the Dutchman was capable of showcase his array of abilities.
“It was the right race for me,” Del Grosso added.
“I’ve to say that I used to be extra nervous earlier than the beginning than earlier than a standard World Cup. However I feel I am nearly on the right course. So I had it beneath management.
“I had by no means raced right here earlier than. In order that was a shock once we went right here. However I used to be very pleasantly stunned. I feel it’s the nicest World Championships course I’ve ridden to date. It was simply difficult and in addition very sincere.”
Nonetheless solely 21, Del Grosso additionally revealed that he plans to proceed competing within the under-23 class subsequent ‘cross season, regardless of holding the elite Dutch nationwide title.
