Danny Nelissen: "Because of those crashes we didn’t get to see the Van Aert-Van der Poel battle on the cobblestones"
Cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are headlining the cyclocross over the past few days, and the same was expected of the past spring. However, because of crashes, Wout van Aert was sidelined from the cobbled classics and the World Championships altogether.
The two were the main topic of a recent conversation. “A smart cyclist will take that with him into the coming years, so that Evenepoel does something back for Van Aert," Michel Cornelisse, manager of Fenix - Deceuninck, said in the Wielerflits podcast.
The Belgian has helped the likes of Evenepoel at the Olympic Games this year quite a lot, but over the years also Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France and even Olav Kooij as a leadout man. This earns him a lot of companionship with his teammates that can be quite valuable for the future.
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However in this cyclocross season, there isn't much that can be done against Mathieu van der Poel. Former pro Danny Nelissen argued: “He’s not going to catch up just like that. I think he has adapted himself somewhat to that role. I am convinced that he can really make that connection, precisely because he is Van Aert, but because of those crashes we didn’t get to see the Van Aert-Van der Poel battle on the cobblestones. That also applies to Evenepoel and Vingegaard towards the Tour, who fell in the spring…”
“Let’s hope that those crashes stay away a bit in 2025," he hopes. "And that we will then get more of that man-to-man battle. Now you had a season in which Pogačar and Van der Poel didn't encounter much, and the others did.”
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Legendary moments of the 2024 cycling season: the incredible atmosphere on Montmartre during the Olympic road race in Paris. 😍🇫🇷 Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert flying up this hill was a nice bonus.pic.twitter.com/3s4c7OnhIK
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) December 28, 2024
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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