"Not by a long shot" - Belgian legend Roger de Vlaeminck argues Mathieu van der Poel is not the best cyclocross rider in history
Cycling
Roger de Vlaeminck was known for his many victories in pro cycling, including many monuments and dozens of Grand Tour stage wins. Currently he is more often in the spotlight due to his strong opinions, often against the current best in the world such as Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel. Recently, he has battled against the idea that the latter is the best cyclocross racer in histroy.
“Of course Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Pogacar are good riders, but when I watch them I cannot enjoy it,” the 78-year old said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. “I want to ride, to race against those guys, beat them the way I sometimes could beat Merckx.”
“Merckx, man, he was such a strong person. Do you know I was sometimes afraid of him. It hurt, just sitting in his wheel,” he joked. “And still I won 512 races. 512. Do you want me to list them all".
Van der Poel not the best
The Belgian's remarks on van der Poel are nothing new. Only months ago, he argued that the Dutchman "can't climb, he can't sprint, he can't hold his own in the time trial... there's not much left". This past weekend, van der Poel rode onto the absolute victory record in the men's elite cyclocross world championship tally, winning his eighth and overtaking Roger's brother Eric De Vlaeminck.
Does that make van der Poel, the record holder of world titles and world cup wins, as the best to ever do it? “Bloody hell, no. Not by a long shot," the veteran argues. “With Eric it was over at 28, worn out by his foolishness. How many more titles could he not have won".
“He is good. Not the best, but good. I like watching him. He always fights,” he said. “If you can stay in Van der Poel’s wheel for three, four laps, then you are not bad. Nys can do that. I am a supporter.”
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.
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