"A fit Mathieu radiates so much power that he will win everywhere" - Former CX World Champion believes that without injuries or illnesses, van der Poel can win 11 out of 11

Richard Groenendaal, now manager of Ridley Racing Team, continues to be as active as ever behind the scenes of the cyclocross world. After the Zilvermeercross Mol he talked about Mathieu van der Poel and his comeback; and what he expects from the World Champion who has spotlessly won both races he's done so far this winter.

Van der Poel had said he hadn't trained much cross and that he wasn't expecting to be so strong right at the start of his campaign in Zonhoven last Sunday. “Why not? When you are almost thirty, that is certainly still in you. If you then have to learn it in five or ten cross-training sessions, it would also be strange. That is just his nature," Groenendaal told Wielerflits.

At this time most riders have been racing for two and a half months and are managing their form as best as possible. Van der Poel did come from a few months of resting and base training for the 2025 season, so admittedly he is fresher, but nevertheless the difference between him and the rest of the field in both races was too high to counter.

"He rides three gears bigger than the other riders. Adrie van der Poel sometimes says: the rest do not ride enough on the road and that is why they fall short. But they simply cannot ride on the road, or at least not in the way that Mathieu rides there," he argues. "Certainly not if they also have to ride a whole cross season. If Mathieu had to ride from October to February, he could not do that either. They are different riders and Mathieu is simply the best. But that is very nice to see."

Last winter the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider had an almost spotless run, winning every single race except for Benidorm. This season he could aim to win all 11 races that he is scheduled to start, ending at the World Championships in Lièvin. "Not easy, it's not that simple. He just has to stay fit and healthy. If he's not fit, he won't win. But a fit Mathieu radiates so much power that he will win everywhere," Groenendaal argued.