"I kept doing my thing" - Mathieu van der Poel waves goodbye to cycling in 2024 with another win
Cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel concluded his 2024 cyclocross campaign in style with a commanding win at the World Cup Besançon. The reigning world champion and rainbow jersey wearer showcased his dominance, defeating Toon Aerts, who finished second, and Niels Vandeputte, who completed the podium in third.
Reflecting on his performance and the atmosphere, Van der Poel said afterwards, "It was a nice round, with a nice audience."
The French setting added to the occasion for Van der Poel, who noted the rarity of international cyclocross events, "It’s nice to be racing here in France. We don’t go abroad very often with the cross anymore, so it’s nice to see so many people here."
Van der Poel highlighted the challenging nature of the circuit and his approach to navigating it, "The last two rounds were even tougher. But I kept doing my thing. I stayed out of trouble the whole race. That was my intention."
He also shared insights into the intricacies of choosing the best lines on the slippery course, "Of course it’s also a bit easier if you can choose your own lines. But every now and then you take a corner just not quite right, after which you think: I’m going to take a different track the next round. But then it turns out that’s not the right one either. The third time you get there, you have a dilemma: do I do it again like that or do I go for my first track?"
Comparing Besançon to his previous race in Gavere, Van der Poel admitted the previous was more challenging, "I found Gavere a bit more difficult. But it was a very difficult circuit. With the World Cup it is also nice to come to France. I also rode there two years ago. There is a lot of public, very enthusiastic public. That is nice to see."
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The Besançon World Cup marked Van der Poel’s final cyclocross event of 2024. He is set to resume competition on 1 January at the GP Sven Baal. Sharing his immediate plans, he said, "Tomorrow there is another long training planned. Tuesday I will rest and then Wednesday back to work in Baal."
With this victory, Van der Poel wraps up his 2024 season on a high, leaving fans eager to see what he will bring to the next stage of his cycling journey in 2025.
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