"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

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."

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."