Mathieu van der Poel on Wout van Aert's Cyclocross World Championships participation: "Nothing really changes for me"
Cyclocross
The Belgian national team had announced eight riders for the men's Elite Cyclocross World Championships last week, leaving one spot open. Although Wout van Aert had said always that he would not participate in the event, this Sunday afternoon Team Visma | Lease a Bike announced the opposite.
Mathieu van der Poel, after winning the Hoogerheide World Cup, was asked about the potential participation of his Belgian rival - this was asked before the news was actually confirmed. "Yes, then it will probably be a battle again. He had announced that he would not do it and he is not really someone who normally changes his plans, so it would be a surprise," van der Poel told Sporza this Sunday afternoon.
Van Aert had announced six races for his winter schedule, not including the World Championships, as he looks to put his focus on the road season. So a change in plans was not in the plans of the reigning World Champion. "...Because, as I say: he is someone who has a plan in his head and always sticks to it."
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Van Aert won the Cyclocross Gullegem and then the Dendermonde World Cup, but was second behind Thibau Nys in Benidorm and this Saturday was second behind van der Poel in the Maasmechelen World Cup. Clearly a level below, but it has to be taken into consideration how van Aert's tumbles largely affected his ability to stay with the Dutchman.
However, this will only add one week to van Aert's cyclocross winter, and with the chance of taking a rainbow jersey, it was a somewhat logical choice for him. “If so, it is a pleasant surprise. It is always fun to compete against such a rider. I am looking forward to it.”
But for van der Poel, this changes little, as he must stick with the same strategy most likely. “Apart from the fact that there will be a strong competitor, nothing really changes for me. I do think that he will become a big challenger. That has already been proven in the past.”
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We're thrilled to announce that @woutvanaert will compete in the cyclo-cross World Championships this Sunday! 🌈
— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) January 26, 2025
Wout: "I am excited to start in such a beautiful race, and I think that this extra boost is doing me good in the lead-up to bigger goals on the road."
Read more. 👇
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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