"I certainly hope so" - Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel share their thoughts ahead of first cyclocross battle
Cycling
Lucinda Brand took the victory early this afternoon at the World Cup Antwerp and in the men's race, the absolute best take to the start. The Belgian race hosts the first battle between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, and both have shared their thoughts right before the start of the race.
"It's always a special feeling to be at the start of a race again," Van Aert said also to Sporza. "Especially in cyclocross. That always requires a lot of preparation. You need different bikes, with a different setup than a road bike. So you have to test them all. It's been a busy week." Van Aert only recently came from Spain where he was in a training camp with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but starts his cyclocross campaign after a much more relaxed winter than 12 months ago.
But he doesn't have overly high expectations, as he hasn't trained much in the bike. "A lot might be a bit of an exaggeration. I did manage two rides on the cyclocross bike, one of which was a solid training session on Wednesday. Two rides in the woods: normally that's not enough, but I couldn't squeeze more out of it this week."
The start of the Christmas Block also provides an interesting opportunity for him to test his form. "It's always a fun race here in Antwerp. The atmosphere is good, and the course with the natural obstacles is beautiful. The stretch of beach along the water will be crucial. It's been relatively dry the last few weeks, which is good for the sand."
Does he expect to be able to battle van der Poel? "No, but I certainly hope so. I just want to be up front. I saw last week that a lot of guys have strong legs. I'd love to be close to them. But of course, I'm still in the dark".
Van der Poel looking forward to race against his main rival
Mathieu van der Poel was asked about his Belgian rider ahead of their first clash in the discipline since the Liévin World Championships last winter. "It's always nice to have Wout with us, but of course, we're used to it. We've been doing it for so many years. It's not that it feels strange. I assume he'll be right there. It's a tough course, but it's something he should be good at."
He is obviously the man to beat, as will always be the case, but he admits that he still has to grow his technique and form, after showing a few weak spots in Namur last weekend. "Last week it was clear that I still need to develop. That won't be any different today. Am I also taking Thibau Nys into account? Of course. But it's a very different course than last week. It could be exciting again today. I just hope I can ride around today with a slightly better feeling than in Namur."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Makes sense that training from home is a big asset or advantage but it's still remarkable that he can put in three quality majors and not pay some heavy price for the exertion. I wish he would have won that tour stage that his crash while leading allowed Carapaz the win. He's a darn good rider and teammate.flyer14-11-2026
- Sounds like we all agree with the over under exaggeration: "The German’s signing does not guarantee that Evenepoel will win the Tour in 2027. "flyer14-11-2026
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
- I agree that, for Evenepoel, the Euro championship is overshadowed by the slightly off Lombardia and Worlds. However, I disagree that "Ciccone also made a serious mistake at the European Championships" because I don't think he had a win in the bag although he could have won with a perfect bike throw. Guesswork about the finish is not evidence by me for some serious mistake. Sometimes you just barely lose - although Ciccone's sourpuss about it persona was serious.flyer14-11-2026
- I bet you photobombed the video since you are his shadow!frieders314-11-2026
- Skipping the 2027 TDF would be fine in my opinion, and if so, it further reveals that him racing it in 2026 was a good decision. Seixas speaks confident, almost cocky, these days (not meant to be a criticism) and I find it a tad humorous that people (rather commentators) continually chide and advise on how Decathlon should direct and manage Seixas when Paul seems to be calling all his shots since well before this year's TDF.flyer14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too.Lozza14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too. So Zonnewotsit can stick it!Lozza14-11-2026
- Who’s gifting grand tours at UAE? Defo not Pogi! Stage wins maybe.Lozza13-11-2026
- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment