Results Cyclocross World Championships 2026 | HISTORIC van der Poel wins 8th rainbow jersey in Hulst; Del Grosso and Nys on the podium
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel has won the cyclocross world championships in Hulst. The Dutch rider has taken his eighth rainbow jersey in the men's elite category and with this, has become the rider to have taken the most titles in the discipline's history - taking down Erick de Vlaeminck's record which held for 53 years.
The run-up to the Hulst worlds' had given very clear signs: Van der Poel was the man to beat. The Alpecin - Premier Tech rider began his season in Namur with a victory, and has ended it in the same way. Throughout the winter, as was the case one year ago, there was not one race in which van der Poel was beaten, and rarely was he ever challenged. In the absence of Wout van Aert, there weren't ever high chances of anyone coming close to the Dutchman.
After comfortably winning the Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide World Cups last weekend, his form was spotless and after a start in the front row, van der Poel quickly positioned himself well. Tibor del Grosso took the holeshot and within three minutes of racing he, van der Poel and Thibau Nys would already have a gap over the rest of the field.
There was not much tension in the race as in the technical circuit of Hulst, slipstreaming and tactics were virtually non-existant. As soon as the defending champion hit the front on the second lap and began forcing the pace, the gap opened to his two main rivals. At the end of lap 2 the gap was already significant and it became clear he would not be caught unless he was to have a mishap.
Read also
Nys and del Grosso best of the rest
Van der Poel rode a spotless race where his biggest rival was himself, and comfortably rode to the finish line in Hulst to win the world title for an eighth time - and his fourth consecutive one in the discipline. Tibor del Grosso took second place and his first medal at the elite category, opening a gap in the final lap; whilst Thibau Nys rode to third.
After Lucinda Brand won the women's elite race and this morning Leonie Bentveld did in the women's under-23 race - as did Delano Heeren in the men's junior event - van der Poel completed a dream weekend for the Dutch.
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