Mathieu van der Poel reclaims Dutch Cyclist of the Year crown for fifth time as Demi Vollering caps historic 2026 with top honour
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel has reclaimed the title of Dutch Cyclist of the Year for the fifth time in his career, adding another Gerrit Schulte Trophy to his collection following a successful 2026 campaign.
The 31-year-old was recognised at Monday evening's National Cycling Gala in Utrecht, where Demi Vollering also received the Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trophy after a historic season featuring victories at the Giro d'Italia Women, Tour de France Femmes and Road World Championships.
Van der Poel succeeds track cycling superstar Harrie Lavreysen, who won the men's award in 2025 and was again among the nominees after collecting three world titles in China.
Vollering, meanwhile, claimed the women's honour for the second time, having previously won in 2023.
Vollering won the 2026 Tour de France Femmes
Van der Poel's fifth crown after another spectacular season
Despite missing out on a Monument victory for the first time since 2022, Van der Poel produced another impressive collection of performances in 2026, beginning with a record-breaking eighth elite cyclocross world title in Hulst.
His road campaign brought victories at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Classic, alongside two stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico. He also finished runner-up to Tadej Pogacar at the Tour of Flanders, before adding another podium finish at the Road World Championships in Montreal, where he took bronze behind Brandon McNulty and Michael Matthews.
Perhaps his most memorable success came on the final day of the Tour de France. Having joined Pogacar in an attack over Montmartre, Van der Poel held off the chasing peloton to triumph on the Champs-Elysees, adding to his earlier stage nine victory in Ussel.
In September, he produced another extraordinary performance at the Tour de Luxembourg, attacking just three kilometres into the final stage and riding alone for approximately 174 kilometres to take victory. It was his second stage win of the race, coming just a week before his bronze medal at the World Championships.
Van der Poel was not present at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht to collect his award, which was presented by former professional Bram Tankink. Instead, he sent a short video message from Spain, where he was already preparing for the new season.
"I'm currently in Spain preparing for the new season, but I want to thank everyone who voted for me as Cyclist of the Year," he said. "It's always a really nice recognition, and hopefully again next year."
Van der Poel previously received the Gerrit Schulte Trophy in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024. His fifth success draws him level with Jan Janssen, Michael Boogerd and Tom Dumoulin, although Joop Zoetemelk's record of nine awards remains some distance away.
The Alpecin - Premier Tech leader prevailed over fellow nominees Lavreysen, Olav Kooij, Jeffrey Hoogland and BMX rider Jaymio Brink, with the award determined by votes from former professionals, current riders and cycling fans.
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Vollering rewarded for historic Giro-Tour double and rainbow jersey
For Vollering, the award follows one of the most dominant seasons in recent women's cycling history. The FDJ United - Suez leader recorded 16 victories and finished at the top of the UCI women's world rankings, having captured an extraordinary range of major titles.
Her spring alone would have constituted an exceptional campaign. Vollering won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the Tour of Flanders, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, before turning her attention towards the Grand Tours.
She completed the Giro-Tour double, winning the Giro d'Italia Women with two stage victories before reclaiming the Tour de France Femmes title she had first secured in 2023. Three stage wins accompanied her second overall Tour triumph.
At the Road World Championships in Montreal in September, Vollering finally claimed the rainbow jersey after several previous near misses. Her victory came in a dramatic finale, defeating Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney in the sprint after the Polish rider had fought her way back into contention.
A week later, the 29-year-old successfully defended her European road race title, adding another championship victory to a season already featuring two Grand Tours and four major spring Classics.
Vollering received her award in Utrecht after finishing ahead of fellow nominees Lorena Wiebes, Puck Pieterse, Lucinda Brand and Laura Smulders.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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