David van der Poel to retire from pro cycling, aims high towards cyclocross World Championships

Cyclocross will see the return of Mathieu van der Poel this weekend, but it will also see the departure of his brother David van der Poel over the coming months. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider has revealed that in a recent interview, as he finishes his preparation for his final winter as a pro racer.

“The world championship must be my last feat in cross. I think a World Championship – in our own Hoogerheide, of all places – is a good moment to end my cyclocross career," the older van der Poel told RIDE Magazine. At 30 years of age, he's the winner of iconic crosses in places such as Mol and Rucphen, but most of his victories came abroad the normal cyclocross circuit, winning throughout his career in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, USA and most recently Spain where he won the Cyclo-cross de Karrantza last season - his final victory. 

He finished 4th and 8th on the final stages of the Tour de Langkawi where he finished his road season in great form. “In those last days I felt at my best this year. I could have won that difficult ride that Sjoerd Bax won," he said, referring to the 7th stage of the race where Alpecin-Deceuninck used their numbers towards victory. 

Alongside Mathieu and Gianni Vermeersch, the trio have recovered from the road season and recently began their preparations for the cyclocross winter. Whilst it is unknown where he will return to the field, Mathieu van der Poel will be in the mix this weekend beginning at the Hulst World Cup. As for David, his goals are more modest, however ambitious.

“It must be my goal this winter to be there and show something beautiful," he said, referring to the World Championships. "Then I have to make the top-16 twice in a World Cup [race] this winter. If that doesn't work, I have no business at the World Championship either.

"But I aim a bit higher than that. That should also work if, just like on the road, my back doesn't bother me much and I finish the crosses the way I want to finish them. I work on my glutes three times a week, because that's where the cause of my back pain is. The physios trust that they can remedy it in this way," he detailed.

Such as Joris Nieuwenhuis' case, the Dutch riders will have to battle between themselves for points, which they will be seeking throughout the coming months heading into the Worlds. “I choose the races that suit me more and where there is a slightly less strong starting field, especially in my first crosses. I have to be smart about that," van der Poel says, aware that he needs to plan his calendar ahead in order to be present at Hoogerheide next February. 

"The fastest crosses with a lot of twists and turns are the most stressful for my back. I'll skip those ones. As crazy as it sounds, a heavy mud cross feels even better. The old school laps without too many turns, I prefer those. But also the sand crosses, because I really have that sand technique in me. Koksijde, Mol, Zonhoven, I always love to do those and I'm good at them too. I want to show myself there," he concluded.