“Mathieu is more or less unbeatable”: Belgian coach admits only a “very bad day” can stop Van der Poel at Worlds

The clearest assessment of the men’s Cyclocross World Championships build-up has come not from a rival rider, but from the Belgian camp itself.

With Mathieu van der Poel arriving in Hulst after a winter of near-total control, Belgium’s national coach Angelo De Clercq has been strikingly open about the scale of the task facing his riders.

“Mathieu is more or less unbeatable,” De Clercq admitted, speaking to WielerFlits. “He would need to have a very bad day not to win.”

It is a remarkable concession, but one that reflects the reality of what this winter has shown. Van der Poel has not only won, but he has also repeatedly removed uncertainty from races within a lap, even when punctures or poor luck briefly disrupted his rhythm. The gap has been wide enough that the rest of the field has often been left to contest a separate race behind him.

That honesty shapes Belgium’s approach to Hulst. De Clercq has not attempted to disguise that second and third place matter. “For us, second and third place are also very important,” he said, acknowledging that gold cannot be the sole reference point when the favourite’s dominance is so pronounced.

At the same time, he stressed that the Belgian riders will not simply roll over. The opening phase of the race is central to their thinking. “We have to be ready in the first lap, because it is so technical with off-camber sections and slanted slopes,” De Clercq explained, pointing to the need for strong positioning before Van der Poel inevitably begins to dictate terms.

That emphasis on the early laps is rooted in recent evidence. Races such as Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide showed that once Van der Poel has established his rhythm at the front, the window to react closes quickly. As De Clercq put it, “If Mathieu has another outstanding day, then we will know that quickly.”

Within that context, Belgium’s leading hope remains Thibau Nys, despite a frustrating end to the World Cup campaign. De Clercq was unconcerned by Nys missing the podium in Hoogerheide, instead framing the disappointment as potential fuel.

“I don’t see it as a negative,” he said. “I think that disappointment will only motivate him and keep his focus high. Maybe he will start even more concentrated, with the knife between his teeth in the first lap.”

De Clercq also pointed to Nys’ broader record at championships as a reason for confidence. He highlighted previous podium finishes and his ability to focus on one target rather than spreading form across the winter. “He is someone who can really focus on one specific moment,” the coach said. “My confidence in Thibau remains high.”

There is also a practical explanation for why Nys has not emerged as Van der Poel’s main challenger in recent weeks. De Clercq spoke openly about differences in preparation, noting that some riders build freshness towards the final World Cup rounds, while others continue heavier training with the World Championships and the spring in mind. “I think he lacked a bit of freshness,” he said, adding that he expects that to return after a lighter week.

Strategically, Belgium’s plan is deliberately flexible. De Clercq made clear that the first two laps will be decisive in shaping how aggressively his riders respond. He referenced Tibor Del Grosso as an example of how fast starts can stretch the race early, before settling into a more predictable pattern.

“If Mathieu has another outstanding day, then we will know that quickly,” De Clercq repeated. “Then it becomes about seeing where we stand.”

In other words, Belgium are preparing for multiple scenarios, but none that ignore the obvious. Van der Poel arrives as the overwhelming favourite, riding at a level even rivals and coaches describe as close to flawless. Belgium’s task is to be ready if something unexpected happens, while also maximising their chances of turning dominance at the front into medals behind.

As De Clercq himself summed it up, the gap is large enough to simplify the conversation. Hope remains, but realism rules.