"I still felt it, but maybe that was good, so that I didn't think too much about my legs" - Not even a broken rib can stop Mathieu van der Poel at World Cup Maasmechelen
Cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel made an incredible return to cyclocross
at the World Cup Maasmechelen, overcoming the pain of a broken rib to dominate
the field. The six-time world champion defeated his long-time rival Wout van
Aert by a staggering 1 minute and 14 seconds.
After his remarkable victory, Van der Poel reflected on his
performance in an interview with Wielerflits. "I still felt it, but maybe
that was good, so that I didn't think too much about my legs," he said
about his rib injury. "I'm happy. I enjoyed this race. It was super
beautiful, also with the audience. It was a real cross today."
Van der Poel credited his training camp for his strong
showing, saying, “It seems like I’m always pretty good when I come back from a
training camp. Even when I have a lot of training load in my legs. I think a
course like that is better after a training camp than a fast cross. You just
have to go at your own pace. Technically I was also good today, so I’m happy
with this victory.”
Looking ahead to next weekend, Van der Poel has the chance
to make history by equalling the record for the most world cyclocross titles. A
seventh title would further cement his legacy as one of the sport’s greatest
ever riders.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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