UCI president defends Mathieu van der Poel: “He has competed in great races”

Mathieu van der Poel is approaching the end of his reign as world champion, with his tenure in the rainbow jersey concluding after this season. Although it would be unwise to rule him out from defending his title at the upcoming World Championships in Zurich, the course is widely seen as more suited to climbers than the versatile Dutchman.

Van der Poel has had a stellar year as world champion, particularly during the spring classics where he claimed two of the sport’s most prestigious one-day races: Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. However, despite his impressive performances, some critics have raised concerns over the number of races he has competed in compared to his rivals.

Since his triumph in Glasgow last year, van der Poel has raced in the rainbow jersey 44 times. For some, this is not enough, especially considering the visibility and prestige that comes with being world champion. However, UCI president David Lappartient has leapt to van der Poel’s defence, offering context around the criticism.

In an interview with In de Leiderstrui, Lappartient stated, “He also does cyclo-cross, so you can't ride races on the road during winter. If you add those races to that, and he is also cyclo-cross world champion, you end up with about sixty race days."

Van der Poel has won the Cyclo-cross World Championships an astounding six times and is the reigning champion. His dual-discipline commitment is a point Lappartient was keen to highlight when considering his race schedule.

"And Mathieu is a one-day rider, not a man for stage races. Then you automatically ride fewer races than a rider who rides two grand tours in a year," Lappartient continued. "Besides, it is a trend for the top riders to ride less than they used to. It will never return to the times of Eddy Merckx; for example, the average is now around 65 race days. All the fans love to see Mathieu and the other top riders in action, but you sometimes have to slow down to achieve that top form.”

As Lappartient suggests, modern cycling is shifting towards a model where top riders prioritize quality over quantity, conserving their best efforts for key moments throughout the season. For van der Poel, those moments have been world-class performances in some of cycling’s greatest races, despite the fewer race days.

Van der Poel’s next challenge will be in Zurich, where he will aim to defy expectations and extend his tenure in the rainbow jersey against a field stacked with climbing specialists.