"I feel less and less like a cyclocross rider...": Under-23 cyclocross world champion prepares for a road career
Cyclocross
It would be a stretch to call Aaron Dockx's world title a 'complete upset', however it's the 21-year-old Belgian from Alpecin - Premier Tech definitely wasn't among the most anticipated names heading into Saturday's under-23 race. After all, Dockx has been hardly a stand-out name during the current winter with only a single podium result in Benidorm (in under-23 category).
However in Hulst, the young Belgian who will make a WorldTour debut later this year, ignored all the predictions and made a swift work of his rivals, including French talent Aubin Sparfel and Dutchman Keije Solen who completed the podium.
"I actually went into this World Championship with an open mind. I haven't done much cyclocross this year and only managed a podium finish in Benidorm, so it's fantastic to be able to finish it off here. The World Championship was a goal, though; it was a bit all-or-nothing because it was my last as an U23," said the newly crowned world champion speaking to WielerFlits.
"I only started to believe in it a bit on the penultimate lap, when I was ten to fifteen seconds ahead. I did feel like I was stagnating a bit and the rest would close the gap, but then Sparfel made a mistake and I went from nine to fourteen seconds back again."
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Hat-trick for Alpecin
Dockx therefore completed a hat-trick for Alpecin after two previous victories by his year-older teammate Tibor del Grosso. But while the Dutchman swiftly transitioned into a star in elite category with medal ambitions on Sunday, Dockx feels that his career will steer more towards road than cyclocross:
"I've switched to the WorldTour, so my focus is shifting more and more to the road. I'm actually feeling less and less like a cyclocross rider," he says.
The Belgian will now take it easy for a week, and then work towards Paris-Nice - his WorldTour debut. Is he nervous about that? "Yes, definitely. You have to perform in the WorldTour too," he smiles.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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