Mathieu van der Poel absolutely SLAMMING it up the mythical Moskesstraat 💥⚡️🚀 2020 Brabantse Pijl 2021 Primus Classic 2023 Super 8 Classic I’ve never seen his power data on this climb but these must be 500-600+ watt, 35-45 second efforts up this cobbled nightmare! ☠️😵🏎️
"I think they are panicking at the UCI" - Mathieu van der Poel's insight into possibility of cyclocross World Cup restrictions
CyclocrossFriday, 08 December 2023 at 17:14
The Cyclocross World Champion will soon get back to the field. Mathieu van der Poel shares his ultimate goal for the 2023-2024 season and alongside that, he also finally shares his thoughts on the threatening declarations of UCI president David Lappartient.
"I don't do cyclocross racing just to win again in Diegem. I want to peak once, at the World Championships, and if I don't reach my level in the other races, as was the case last year, then so be it. I want to become world champion again," van der Poel said in words to Het Nieuwsblad, quite decisively. "I have been training in Spain for two months now. Now with the team in Benicassim and previously near Moraira, where I have a house. I spent three days in Belgium in between and that was not pleasant."
The Dutchman complained about the weather back home, but in Spain he's been building on his form. After ending his road season relatively early, he's had time to rest and will likely enter the CX season in good form. Taking into consideration that his first race will be at the start of the Christmas block, he will have no option but to quickly find race rhythm. He will build towards the World Championships where he'll seek a sixth rainbow jersey - and title revalidation, without the presence of Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock.
The three riders are under threat of not being allowed to race World Championships however, if David Lappartient's threat would come to be. The president of the UCI suggested that it is a possibility that riders who don't race all World Cup rounds would not be allowed at the World Championships. In the 2022-2023 season none of the female athletes scored points in all rounds, and only three male riders did. Effectively, enabling this rule would automatically exclude some of the discipline's stars. “I think they are panicking at the UCI," van der Poel believes. The UCI own the World Cup and is looking for solutions to make it more attractive. It has lowered significantly after it's expansion from 9 to 14 events in 2021-2022.
"Would Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock suddenly no longer be allowed to compete in the World Championship? And not Fem van Empel either? That doesn't make sense. The World Cup must remain something special but they messed that up themselves due to the oversupply. You used to be proud that you could ride in the World Cup," van der Poel argues. "I don't think anyone has that at the moment.”
Whilst most responses were contained, van der Poel's words point out the obvious flaw with the rule. Ultimately, it becomes difficult to argue how this would benefit the sport in any way. “I have no opinion. Anyone can ride the World Championships, even if you ride zero races. That's your right. You don't have to ride crosses to do that. I understand that it is not that fun for them, but they have somewhat contributed to it themselves. I am not really concerned about it.”
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- When MVDP or Wout shows up, they literally destroy the field. Its awesome, lol. That's the only time I watch cross..
ScottG19-11-2024 - It will be just a waste of time to finish out of the podium. Giro Vuelta makes a better choiceabstractengineer19-11-2024
- I would agree, top 3 with Remco improving and snapping at his heels. I just wish he wouldn't keep crashing in the TDF.Pedalmasher19-11-2024
- Backstedt and Schreiber are not juniors they are under 23. There were I think about 7 or 8 juniors in this race. Under the current rules a race that has juniors in can't go over 45 minutes. The winning time was 43.53 so the timing was correct. The organisers are in the wrong because they should be putting on a juniors race and then we wouldn't be in this situation as the timings for the elite race would be 50 minutes, not 45.NorrisHippocampe19-11-2024
- It's everywhere. Just like it was before. But we can just pretend it isn't. Just like we did before.Sweep19-11-2024
- Not a top 4 GT rider? He's got more GT wins (just not at the Tour) than any viable active rider (Froome not included). Were it not for his team messing it up for him, he'd have won the Vuelta even more often. He's a bizarrely accident prone, deeply conservative rider, but it delivers. He's also one of the best 1-week GC riders in the peloton. The man may not be Pogacar or Vingegaard (who is?), but he is definitely in the top 3 of the field, right now.RidesHills19-11-2024
- Nobody is saying that he is tin he Top 4 GT riders but nobdy is also saying he is capable of winning the TDF in the presence of Pog and Jonas. He was already fairly blown away before his crash and if we assume that Bora hired him to win the TDF, then it would not be considered a success. That he won the Vuelta only make it not a total fail.abstractengineer19-11-2024
- "The viewing and visitor figures are both better than when they were riding" - what a BS. Please compare (and only then) visitor figures during current season vs when WvA and MvdP are back in December (hopefully!) otherwise you are comparing oranges to apples.averagecyclist19-11-2024
- I counted 16 riders under 24 out of 43 that started. Once was only 16 ! Two of the top riders are Zoe and Schreiber and both under 23 yet that have done 50 min races in the past with the elites so I think it's just bad clock management. Let them race 50 freakin' minutes! One more lap could have made a big dffierence most times in the podium and winner.frieders319-11-2024
- He needs to finish out his contract and then go hit MTB and Cross/Gravel really hard, that's where his heart is.awp18-11-2024