"Purely in terms of the course it's definitely not something I need" - Mathieu van der Poel shares discontent after winning run ends in Benidorm

Mathieu van der Poel's epic cyclocross winning streak was brought to a screeching halt on Sunday afternoon in Benidorm, following multiple instances of bad luck.

Not since the 8th of January 2023 in Zonhoven has van der Poel tasted cyclocross defeat. "In the beginning, my chain came off and I had to chase, but that was okay in itself," he reflected in his post-race interview, detailing his misfortune. "But on the penultimate lap, after the sandpit, I hit the cutting a bit too much with my shoulder and I knew it was over."

Van der Poel was also keen to mention his discontent at the Benidorm course as a whole after battling back to finish 5th, 12 seconds down on race winner, Wout van Aert. "In my opinion, there doesn't need to be more courses like this in cyclocross. I said the same last year when I won," he explains.

"The public obviously makes up for a lot, but purely in terms of the course it's definitely not something I need," the world champion concludes. "I do understand that it is fantastic for the viewers, because it will always be a battle to the finish, as it is almost impossible to get rid of each other."