“Maybe I should apply for a licence again”: Sven Nys smiles as Mathieu van der Poel breaks his long-standing World Cup wins record
Cyclocross
The record finally changing hands did little to alter Sven Nys’ perspective. After watching Mathieu van der Poel move clear with his 51st World Cup victory in Hoogerheide, the former benchmark holder reacted not with nostalgia or defensiveness, but with a knowing smile.
“Maybe I should apply for a licence again,” Nys joked, before immediately grounding the thought in reality. “Although I don’t think I’d still be able to beat him,” he added, speaking to VTM Nieuws.
A day earlier, after Van der Poel had drawn level on 50 wins, Nys had already framed the moment as inevitable. Seeing the record broken outright did nothing to change that tone. Instead, he leaned into what he believes is unfolding.
Nys enjoys the moment, not the milestone
“I can enjoy watching how Van der Poel rides around here,” Nys said. “He is, I think, the best version of himself.” It was not framed as a one-off peak, but as a rider arriving at his highest level with apparent ease.
Nys reinforced that view by pointing to what Van der Poel has already produced on this course. He referenced the 2023 World Championships in Hoogerheide, where Van der Poel beat Wout van Aert in a sprint after a long duel. “He is a complete athlete,” Nys said, “one we should enjoy for as long as he is still racing here.”
Questions about how long Van der Poel will remain a cyclocross regular are never far away. Nys dismissed the idea that the story is close to ending. “Within two years, the World Championships will take place here again,” he said. “I assume he will be here then.”
A different mood in the Nys camper
Not everyone in the Nys camp shared that calm on Sunday afternoon. Thibau Nys missed out on the podium after a tactical misjudgement in the sprint behind Van der Poel, a frustration his father did not gloss over.
“He understands that he lost it tactically today,” Nys said. “He felt he could make a difference, but it wasn’t big enough.” Even so, he stressed the belief remains intact. “Thibau has confidence in his condition, and that will come through next week,” he said, looking ahead to the World Championships.
Nys also framed the disappointment as potentially useful. “A moment like this can also bring some sharpness, focus and aggression,” he said.
In the end, the record changing hands felt less like a closing chapter than a natural progression. Nys’ name may no longer sit alone at the top of the World Cup list, but his reaction made clear that he sees Van der Poel’s dominance not as a break from the past, but as the sport continuing at its highest level.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
- I'm picking .... .... Never mind 🫥flyer07-11-2026
- If Tiberi has a better and more consistent 2027 I somehow doubt it will be because of this victorious warning. Unless his preparation has been off, cycling isn't football.flyer07-11-2026
- Love this guy. He is such a pure racer.mij07-11-2026
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