"The World Championship is all that remains" - Mathieu van der Poel clear on Cyclocross objectives this winter
Cycling
The road season is yet to finish, and Mathieu van der Poel will be on the spotlight on several occasions over the coming week. However, with the Cyclocross season to start this weekend, he's also been questioned over the coming goals for the winter.
"I'm not really into cyclocross yet. My retirement last season in Zolder feels like an eternity ago," the Dutchman said in a recent interview. "It's a bit early to be working on that now, but that [World Championships] will be my main goal. The winter has become less important for a few years and then the World Championship is all that remains."
A four-time World Championship winner, he's looking to add a fifth rainbow jersey to his collection - currently owned by Tom Pidcock. With the focus he's put on the road over the last few years his winter campaigns have been smaller, however with several wins to his name nevertheless. Last season was a catastrophe however, as he abandoned his second outing and was forced to take around a month of rest in a crucial off-season period. He's looking to bounce back this season.
Team manager Philip Roodhooft said: "...Emotionally it remains important and this is also apparent from our cross team. We had difficulties for a few years with the transition to the road, but now we have a young team again with Quinten Hermans from 1 January". The Belgian team has put it's priority on the road for the last few years, and with a World Tour spot virtually guaranteed for the coming three seasons and the addition of the Belgian rider, they are aiming to once again take up the charge in the discipline.
"We can gradually take the place that we had before in the field," Roodhoft ambitions, pointing towards a lineup that will not only include Mathieu van der Poel and Quinten Hermans, but also the likes of Niels Vandeputte, Puck Pieterse and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado seeking strong results over the various categories as top contenders.
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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.
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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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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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