Cyclocross needs to prepare for "a future without Mathieu and Wout" according to Tomas Van Den Spiegel

The discipline of cyclocross is enjoying one of the most popular spells in its recent history right now. A major part of the success of the sport has been the iconic rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, something that needs to be capitalised on.

These are the thoughts of Tomas Van Den Spiegel. Speaking with VRT commentator José De Cauwer, he outlines his plan for the future. "Cyclo-cross has some advantages that road cycling does not have: it takes 1 hour, men and women are virtually equal, the riders are constantly riding laps which guarantees a lot of visibility for sponsors, and you have those stars."

"These are all things that the sport is already benefiting from, but also ensure that cyclocross is future-proof. Now, we have to be able to make a plan that gives the cross a future without Mathieu and Wout," Van Den Spiegel explains. "The product becomes more successful when there is more scarcity and therefore more demand. Here [in Belgium] - especially during the Christmas period - we have an oversupply of 'cross. That has worked well but is not productive for the future."

Going into detail on how he would adjust things in order to get the maximum out of the sport, Van Den Spiegel says, "Why couldn't every professional team have one or two cyclocross or gravel riders? In the juniors, you now have a world champion with Léo Bisiaux that you should try to keep in cyclocross. If you can get 'cross on French television with that. Or if you have a star from Italy, then you're off. Cyclocross riders are made for the sport of gravel. We have to stay very close to that, and see if a combination of both disciplines is possible. I see it as complementary to each other rather than a threat."