“I don’t think I need cyclocross to reach my best level” - Mathieu van der Poel fuels talk of skipping a CX winter in 2026-27

For more than a decade, Mathieu van der Poel has built his seasons around a familiar rhythm. Winter belonged to cyclocross, where he established himself as one of the most dominant riders the discipline has ever seen. Spring then brought the road campaign, where he has added Monument victories and a world title to an already remarkable palmares.

But the idea that the two must always go hand in hand is now being questioned by the Dutchman himself.

Speaking to WielerFlits, Van der Poel again hinted that a winter without cyclocross remains a genuine possibility as he weighs up how best to prepare for the road season in the years ahead.

“I would mainly do it with the road season in mind, yes,” Van der Poel explained when discussing the prospect of skipping a cyclocross winter. “So that I could take a bit more rest during the winter. For example, by staying in Spain for an entire winter and training there.”

Cyclocross has long been central to Van der Poel’s preparation. The high intensity of winter racing has historically served as the foundation for his early-season road form, allowing him to arrive at the Classics already close to peak condition.

Yet Van der Poel suggested that the approach may no longer be essential. “I don’t think I absolutely need cyclocross to reach my best level. Certainly not. Maybe it could even be better without cross? If you don’t try it, you won’t know.”

For a rider who has spent much of his career proving that success across disciplines can coexist, the idea represents a subtle but significant shift in thinking.

The demands of Van der Poel’s road ambitions have grown steadily in recent years. Monument victories, world championship targets and a packed calendar mean the margin for managing fatigue and training blocks has become increasingly important. A winter based entirely around training rather than racing could offer a different route into the road season.

Van der Poel’s comments also surfaced in the context of his absence from Strade Bianche this year, a race that many observers view as perfectly suited to his explosive style.

While he admitted the decision was not without regret, he also pointed to the broader planning behind his current schedule following a cyclocross campaign. “Do I regret it? A little bit, yes,” Van der Poel said. “Of course, it’s a race I would like to take part in. But the schedule we have made is a good one, I think, after a cyclocross season.”

Crucially, he also suggested the possibility of returning under different circumstances. “And maybe one day I will ride Strade again, after a different winter.”

Such a remark inevitably fuels the discussion around what a future winter programme might look like if cyclocross were removed from the equation. Training blocks in Spain and a longer build-up towards the road season could reshape not only his preparation but also the races he targets.

Van der Poel also made clear that the increasing difficulty of Strade Bianche itself would never be a reason to stay away. “The race is what it is. They shouldn’t adapt it to how I want it. It’s simply a very tough race. I think on Saturday you saw again that it will always be difficult to win there.”

Even so, the Dutchman’s mindset remains unchanged when it comes to choosing his races. “But if you only start races that you can win, then I also wouldn’t start Tirreno. I would like to return there one day.”

For now, the possibility of a cyclocross-free winter remains just that: a possibility. Yet Van der Poel’s latest remarks make clear that the idea is no longer theoretical. After more than a decade of balancing the mud and the road, the most successful multi-discipline rider of his generation is openly considering whether the next phase of his career might begin with a different winter entirely.