Belgian journalist crowns Mathieu van der Poel the best cyclocroser of all time and hopes "Thibau Nys continues to grow" and becomes a "face of the sport"

Cyclocross has had many champions over the years, but it's only in the current era that riders are finally able to succeed both on road and in the field consistently. And then there are those who are able to win on all boards including mountain bikes, gravel, ... But is the cyclocrosser among all?

"Mathieu van der Poel," Belgian journalist Jacques Sys clearly expresses his opinion of who he thinks is the best cyclocrosser ever at Knack. But he quickly continues, reminding that to compare Van der Poel to the men whose legacy the Dutchman carries, is not easy. "Generations are difficult to compare," he knows.

The pioneer of road-cross combination was Eric De Vlaeminck, the older brother of Roger De Vlaeminck, one of the most prolific road professionals of the 70s. "Eric De Vlaeminck became world champion seven times before he was 27. It couldn’t be better. Roland Liboton made the biggest impression on me personally. He had the image of a freeloader: fast cars, beautiful women... But I saw him train several times. Liboton pushed himself to the limit."

In the past, we speak mostly of pure cyclocrossers like Liboton, something that is not so common nowadays with best riders in the discipline also combining cyclocross with road races. "The same goes for Sven Nys, who was perhaps the most important cyclo-cross rider of all time," Sys recognizes. "The star Nys attracted busloads of fans to the cyclo-cross, and lifted the sport to a higher level."

When it comes to winning races, Sys sees Van der Poel as 'The Goat'. In the future, he hopes that a new public hero has emerged. "For the development of the sport, we have to hope that Thibau Nys continues to grow. A rider with an opinion, who sells himself well and always wants to make the race, like his father," concludes Sys.