At the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, the Dutch team held a media day ahead of the World Championship Elite Road Race. While many TV crews answered the same questions, Mathieu van der Poel, winner of the Tour de Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and E3 Harelbeke, lurked in the background as a forgotten presence.

Niki Terpstra may be the more decorated and experienced rider on the Dutch team, but he is under no illusions that this year's Amstel Gold Race winner, 24-year-old Van der Poel, is the star of the orange.

"My role is to make sure we have a proper finale. Of course, Mathieu is the big favourite and should be the captain of the team," Terpstra told Cycling News. [But Sunday is a new race, with new opportunities. It's simple."

Nevertheless, Terpstra indicated that he will not be riding just ahead of Van der Pol in a domestique role on Sunday. Without a decent sprint finish, his greatest achievement in the Classic is running alone. Van der Pol's ability to follow the wheel saves energy for the group behind him. [Holland has always been known for its fascinating cycling. I don't want to go into defense mode. I don't want to be on the back foot." When that happens, you lose a lot of strength and power, so it's pretty important that we don't get into that situation. So, of course, a big part of being on a team is having the freedom to do what you want."

"Obviously, you want to get a good result, but how you feel in the race. I have enough experience to know if I'm in good shape or not."

Communication will be key, as is the way van der Pol, who is still new to road racing, will lead a team of World Tour pros.

"It's hard to say what he's like because we've only run one day together. We haven't had a team meeting yet. 'But it's not rocket science. But it's not rocket science.'

Terpstra has endured a difficult 2019 season, his first since leaving Dečuninck-Quick Step, under the colors of French pro-continental team Total Direct Energy. He suffered a concussion after a heavy crash in Flanders and retired from the Tour de France with a fractured shoulder blade.

He returned in August at the Tour du Limousin and Tour du Poitou-Charentes, and rode one-day races in Belgium and France to prepare for the world championships.

"I'm feeling good. I'm excited and a bit nervous. I'm always nervous before big races. So I think I can keep winning," Terpstra said.

"Of course, I had some setbacks this season, but this race has always been my goal. After my injury in the Tour, this race was my main goal and I worked a lot to be in good condition for this moment."

Terpstra believes that the final 14-km Harrogate circuit, which features seven laps after a long opening lap through the Yorkshire Dales, is suited to his skills, characterized by undulations and "constant changes of rhythm." He also does not mind driving in the rain.

"The World Championship is always difficult to predict. We have never raced on a circuit. That's what makes the World Championships so exciting. In the end, I expect the racers with the best conditions to come out on top. It's a very long race, so if we have the conditions and the legs, we'll be able to come out on top."

"We have strong riders and a strong team, but we are not going to let that affect the race. The race is too long. Our rivals are too strong to do that. It's very simple."

Very simple and not rocket science: ...... Terpstra does not overcomplicate this.