“Mathieu has no equal on the bike” - Van der Poel boss wants Omloop debut after historic eighth CX rainbow jersey, but only if restart goes smoothly

For Alpecin-Premier Tech boss Christoph Roodhooft, the conversation about Mathieu van der Poel has two parts right now. First, the acknowledgement of what just happened at the end of his superstar's winter campaign in Hulst. Then, the careful management of what comes next.

Speaking to Wieler Revue after the 2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Roodhooft did not hesitate when asked where Van der Poel now stands in cyclocross history. “In a number of things, Mathieu has no equal on the bike. Cyclocross is one of those things. You cannot deny the light of the sun. There is no doubt that he is the greatest.”

That verdict came after Van der Poel’s eighth cyclocross rainbow jersey, a performance in rain and mud that many observers felt pushed the long running greatest of all time debate firmly in one direction.

But Roodhooft’s focus quickly shifted from legacy to logistics.

Van der Poel himself had recently mentioned the possibility of riding Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, a race he has never previously started despite its profile appearing tailor-made for him. For Roodhooft, that idea is appealing, especially for a Belgian team at the Opening Weekend.

“We have already talked about the road. Last year, Mathieu was very clear that he did not want to take part in the Opening Weekend. I thought that was a pity last year, because those races are important for a Belgian team. I also think it would be good for him, but then the first requirement is that his restart goes smoothly.”

There is no immediate rush. Van der Poel has stepped away for a short break following the Worlds. “He now first takes a week of rest. After that, he will start training again, but that goes more smoothly one year than another.”

That variability is something Roodhooft is openly acknowledging rather than trying to control.

One detail that stands out in Roodhooft’s thinking is the acceptance of Van der Poel’s need for mental reset as much as physical recovery. “Yes, he is also going on a winter sports trip this week. We are allowing him to make that trip. Otherwise, we could also have said at the World Championships that he had to be careful. The fact that he makes that trip actually provides the mental balance that is needed.”

Rather than viewing the trip as a risk, Roodhooft frames it as part of the reason Van der Poel now performs the way he does. “I think he does many things more correctly than in the past. And he has few problems maintaining that. He has found an incredibly good balance. Sport has its place in that. He is willing to make sacrifices, can put himself through enormous pain in training and has also embraced the life that comes with it.”

According to Roodhooft, that balance is visible not just in results, but in demeanour. “He has a life that is perfectly in balance in every aspect. You can see that reflected in his sport, because I find it incredible how much calm he has nowadays.”

The image of Van der Poel floating through the rutted, off-camber sections of Hulst in the rain is still fresh. The suggestion that he could transfer that form directly onto the cobbles and narrow roads of Opening Weekend is an enticing one.

But for Roodhooft, the priority is clear. The decision will not be made on desire or spectacle. It will be made on how smoothly Van der Poel is able to restart after a winter that ended with another piece of cyclocross history.

If that restart goes as planned, an Omloop debut for the rider Roodhooft believes has “no equal on the bike” may finally become reality.