Tim Mellier (Alpecin Phoenix) will begin his winter off-road campaign on Sunday at the Coupe de France Cyclocross in Troyes, France; Wielerfits reports that he aims to race through the second week of January, with the Saturday Belgian Nationals at Middelkerke, followed by Cyclocross Otegem on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Belgian will compete in the X2O Trophee races in Loenhout and Herentals, the Superprestige series in Diegem and Heusden-Zolder, and the Gullegem C2 race, all in Belgium. The team will also compete in races held in Belgium. He also said that if selected for the national team, he would like to compete in two World Cup races.

"Last week I did my first real cross training in Oudenaarde Donkwieber. This winter it will mainly be "basic conditions" cross. But it never hurts to play on the beach and get used to the bike again."

"I would like to start in Lucfen, but for that I have to be selected as national coach. If that doesn't happen, I'll take a weekend off right away. Then Lowenhout, Diegem, Heusden Zolder, Gullegem, Herentals, Middelkerke's BC, and Otegem are on my wish list. Between them I can add Hulst (I have to be selected there too)."

Alpecin Phoenix teammate Gianni Vermeersch will be on the start line for the C2 race. Vermeersch will begin his cross campaign the day before at the Etihad Cross in Essen, where he will represent Belgium for the 10th time at the World Championships. In elite and U23 races at the cyclocross world championships, the 29-year-old Vermeers has finished in the top 10 six times.

Another Alpecin teammate, cyclocross world champion Mathieu van der Poel, will return to the cross field at the World Cup in Lucfen, the Netherlands, on December 18.

Mellier has been a member of the Belgian men's elite team at the cyclocross world championships for the past six years and has twice finished in the top 10 at the 2020 Oostende event. He said he does not plan to travel to the U.S. for the World Championships in Fayetteville at the end of January, but will return to the road after the national competition weekend.

"Actually, the same thing with Gianni Fermersch applies to me. I always have jet lag and I don't want to risk the spring. If things suddenly go well, I'll leave the door open." Merlier has had cyclocross on his racing calendar for 12 years, since his junior year, and last season he participated in 10 races.

"It remains great preparation. To feel competitive in the winter is an added bonus. I know what I'm training for and it motivates me. I keep thinking it would be weird and difficult to train as a road racer all winter without a short-term goal. I need that."

One of the WorldTour's top sprinters, Mélié has nine wins in 2021, including Grand Tour victories at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. His victory on stage 2 of the Giro was Alpecin-Phoenix's debut stage win in a Grand Tour, and he and Van der Pol won back-to-back stages in the Tour, with Van der Pol taking the yellow jersey on stage 2 and Mélié winning on stage 3.

"My main goal is to win more in 2021 and ...... I want to ride more than 10 days in the Grand Tours. 'I reached my limits in the Tour de France. Physically and mentally."

"Whether there will be another combination of Giro and Tour" This has not yet been discussed within the team. But I think they know what kind of riding I like. It will also depend on who is in good condition and when."