"My brother won those World Championships with many more opponents" - Roger De Vlaeminck doesn't believe Van der Poel's CX triumphs compare to his legendary brother Erik's
CyclocrossSaturday, 01 February 2025 at 12:00
This Sunday in Lievin, Mathieu van der Poel will be looking to make some sporting history. If victorious at the 2025 Cyclocross World Championships, the Dutchman will claim a record equalling 7th Rainbow Jersey in the discipline. Comparing Van der Poel to the legendary Erik De Vlaeminck isn't quite so simple though.
At least that is the opinion of Erik's brother, Roger De Vlaeminck, himself world champion in 1975. "Of course I wish him that (Van der Poel taking a 7th world title ed.). But my brother won those World Championships with many more opponents," explains Roger in conversation with Sporza ahead of this weekend's showdown in Lievin. "If Erik had had a normal life, Mathieu would never have been able to match him. But of course you have to take care of yourself."
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With Erik De Vlaeminck's seven world titles coming in an eight-year period between 1966 and 1973, Van der Poel had looked odds on to himself take a sixth world title in seven years this weekend. This last minute announcement of Wout van Aert's involvement has thrown a little spanner in the works for the Dutchman though, and Roger De Vlaeminck is hopeful Van Aert's presence will at least add some spectacle to the race. "I'm a fan of Mathieu. He's a great rider, but we need to have a duel on Sunday," he says.
"What do I expect? I'm not participating anymore myself. But I'm looking forward to it, because I suspect we'll get an exciting cross," he previews. "Van der Poel is of course in very good shape, but I think Van Aert will be able to follow for a long time... Van Aert always has a chance to win and certainly now. He showed that on Saturday. I think he sometimes gets a bit nervous because of Mathieu, but I can see him holding out for a long time."
"We really need to have a duel, because look at Sunday in Hoogerheide: after one and a half meters Mathieu was already solo. Then the rest is not good enough, right?" De Vlaeminck concludes. "Without Van Aert I would not have watched on Sunday. Or no, I would have."
Choose your fighter! 👀
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) February 1, 2025
Riders have picked their favourites for the Elite races of the 2025 UCI #CycloCross World Championships! 🌈
What's yours? 🫵#Lievin2025 pic.twitter.com/3HpjQlCd1l
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- so sad...
maria2024202410-05-2025 - ahahahha.. but I think Roglic will be very happy to give you back the pink jersey (less interviews, less ceremonies, more time to rest).maria2024202410-05-2025
- Bummed for Wout. I hope he bounces back big tomorrowmij10-05-2025
- His manner of speech is that of someone who's totally laid back, not the nervous kind.
KerisVroom10-05-2025 - wow, Isaac Del Torro can TT. I am betting that he can surpass Ayuso in the future.KerisVroom10-05-2025
- van Aert will be happy if he can stay with the front group in that last climb. Pedersen will win stage 3 :-)
DareDevil10-05-2025 - Not good for Landa. Whole season gone already.DareDevil10-05-2025
- This one is for Primoz!!DareDevil10-05-2025
- Now I know Mads Pederson is a very talented hairstylist. I should have gone for this sort of hairstyle just for fun.KerisVroom10-05-2025
- Its everyman for himself at UAE if no Pogi. This was the case since last 3 yearsabstractengineer10-05-2025
With all due respect, and even though Roger might be the greatest classics rider in the history, MvdP has managed to (almost) combine the successes of both de Vlaeminck brothers, both in CX and on the road. Especially hard in this day and age, when there are a bunch of specialists.
Thanks for agreeing, I’ve now actually taken a dislike to them after seeing the tactics they resorted to to get one up on Merckx. Had there been serious TV coverage in the day, there'd have been disqualifications.
I find it hard to believe Eric was as technically gifted as MvdP, who is the complete CX rider.
Erik wasn't as gifted as MVDP. That's his brother's ego talking.
More than just ego ;-)
Pretty dumb to mention something like « If Eric had had normal life, MVDP would never have been able to match him ». Especially when you don’t explain what you mean by normal, yeah amphetamine dependence gets to you but it also helps performance so kind of contradictory evidence for backing the statement. Besides, he had a decent length career, CX WC podiums over 11 years so he had plenty of time whilst in shape. I think Roger is upset because MVDP has almost achieved what his brother and him managed, together ;-) Also, despite telling us he’s a fan, I doubt he would have said this if it had been Wout going for a 7th WC. He’s just a bad sport, like all those who had to find a way to beat Merckx.
A predictable opinion from RdV
Difficult to really know what it is he’s trying to say also. Don’t see what’s so different today except you don’t have guys like Dufraisse and Wolfshohl on the podium 15y running. Big difference between Eric and Mathieu is that Eric didn’t win much of importance outside CX so in that sense, far less impressive and let’s face it CX is just a small part of cycling, once you’re good you’re almost guaranteed to get 3, 4 or more rainbow jerseys for lack of competition. By the way, I counted 9 competitors on the podium over Eric’s years to Mathieu’s 7 so far (maybe 8 by 2moro if we assume Wout takes a spot other than 1st. That doesn’t sound like much more competitors to me.