Mathieu van der Poel's cyclocross dilemma - Impending fatherhood makes season decision difficult as tempting World Championships could entice Dutchman
Cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel fans could face a winter of no mud as the Dutchman is yet to confirm if he'll line out at all during the Cyclocross season. As he prepares to become a father in the new year, experts have sized up whether there's one glaring opportunity the eight-time world champion could seize.
The Alpecin-Premier Tech leader closed off his road season in September with a World Championships podium. Combined with two Tour de France stage wins, it's safe to say that the 31-year-oold is riding at the peak of his powers.
He and his partner Roxanne Bertels are expecting their first child in January, with his first arrival coming during the height of the cyclocross season van der Poel had become accustomed to racing almost every winter.
Belgian national coach Angelo De Clercq believes that van der Poel opting not to ride the discipline this season in favour of family time is an understandable one.
“For the race itself, it’s more fun and better if Wout and Mathieu are there. But I would also understand if Mathieu said for once: I’m not riding this winter and I’ll be there when our daughter is born. I don’t think anyone would object to that,” De Clercq told Wielerflits.
Mathieu van der Poel
Will Mathieu van der Poel ride Cyclocross this season?
“I think just the World Championships would also be an option. But I know that he himself didn’t like that very much in the past, because he prefers to ride a few more races,” Dutch national coach Gerben de Knegt told Wielerflits.
The two then moved on to a potential World Championships one-off appearance for him, noting that he has the ability and pedigree to be able to keep the race despite not racing near as much as the rest of the field.
Read also
De Clerq said: “Mathieu has the skill to be back at the front after just a lap and a half, starting from a row further back. I think he is actually the only one who can do that."
“He has to determine that entirely for himself. I think it is important that, if he feels a spark of desire burning again – ‘I want to race cyclocross’ – he does something with it," de Knegt added.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
- If you go watch some races from last season other riders that have never caught Jonas...are now catching him. Some are just riding away from him and he can't hold the wheelmd197514-11-2026
- He just doesn't have the desire anymore. I read an article earlier today that said he almost retired last year. His reasoning was he is away from home to much. Visma was able to keep him riding by allowing him to skip certain camps. So, while currently Visma is doing altitude work...Jonas is at home. Which means 2 things. 1- He maybe fresher than other riders. But, not the condition. 2-Is a somewhat slap in the face to others on the team that are supposed to help him win. Yet feel like he hasn't done what they have so perhaps they don't provide as good of protection or they ride more for theme (which the team may not notice).md197514-11-2026
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments