“At times it became an ice rink” – Mathieu van der Poel escapes more snowy CX chaos to continue all-conquering winter in Zonhoven

Zonhoven was never going to reward hesitation, and Mathieu van der Poel made his response clear from the opening seconds. On a weekend already defined by snow, ice and costly mistakes elsewhere in the peloton, the world champion chose the most risk-averse option available: remove the chaos entirely by riding alone.

That approach shaped the race almost immediately. Van der Poel surged clear from the start and never relinquished control, producing another solo display on a course where staying upright proved as decisive as raw power.

While crashes and errors repeatedly disrupted the chasing group behind him, the leader was able to dictate his own tempo throughout.

“I wanted, in these conditions, not to sit in the wheel and to do my own thing,” Van der Poel explained afterwards to Sporza. “I tried to stay as focused as possible and not make mistakes, because at times it really became an ice rink.”

The aggressive opening was not strictly premeditated, but it aligned with Van der Poel’s reading of the conditions. After adopting a more conservative approach in recent races, Zonhoven demanded early clarity.

“No, it was not really the plan,” he said. “But I did have the intention to get to the front as quickly as possible and ride my own tempo. And for once I got away well at the start. I could ride my own lines, and then I am at my best.”

Behind him, the race steadily unravelled as riders struggled to manage the slippery descents and deep sand. Even for Van der Poel, the conditions were far from benign. Two punctures briefly disrupted his rhythm, though never his command of the race.

“It happened just after the finish on a section with a lot of stones,” he said. “It was still far to the pit and that took me a little out of my rhythm.”

Despite those setbacks, the gap remained comfortable, underlining the value of having clear air and full control on a circuit where mistakes carried immediate consequences.

With nine wins from nine starts this winter, Van der Poel’s dominance could easily be framed as routine. His own reflection suggested otherwise. At 30, perspective has replaced expectation.

“Everything is temporary, and that will be the same for me,” he said. “The older I get, the more I enjoy it. I do not take it for granted and I keep working hard. Hopefully then more nice victories will follow.”

After Zonhoven, Van der Poel is set to step away briefly from cyclocross and return to road training in Spain. Yet on a weekend where snowy conditions again shaped outcomes across the sport, his performance stood as a reminder that, when chaos increases, clarity of decision can still make the difference.