The only cross race Mathieu van der Poel may not win this winter, according to Niels Albert: "Things could get really bad in Dendermonde"

After his comeback, the Dutch and Belgian media have begun their campaign of analysis on Mathieu van der Poel's cyclocross performances. His races in Zonhoven and Mol have given a lot of insight into his training, form and what comes next... Niels Albert, former World Champion, argues that in this form there is only one race the World Champion may struggle to win: The 'Dendermonster'.

"Even after a night's sleep, I'm still not sure whether Mathieu van der Poel pedaled two or three teeth bigger than the rest in Mol," Albert wrote in his Het Laatste Nieuws column. "But the difference was certainly very big and that made his lead in the last laps correspondingly. Because Mathieu has become a real road racer, he has gained a lot of strength and he pedals bigger than the typical crossers. I had no complaints about the way Mathieu rode through the sand. Enjoying it in silence".

Read also

UAE teammate believes Tadej Pogacar can reach Mark Cavendish's Tour de France record: "He simply has one more gear than everyone else"

Towards the end of the race in Mol van der Poel looked to be technically hitting the spot, unlike the first half of the race which gave Laurens Sweeck the chance to respond. In Zonhoven there was absolutely nothing that could be done: "His basic pace is simply much higher than the rest. That's the difference," the Belgian argues. "Now that I've been able to witness Mathieu's supremacy live, I don't see a single course on which he can be beaten in the next nine crosses that he rides".

However there is one that may be a bigger challenge which is the Dendermonde World Cup on the 5th of January, a race usually marked by heavy mud and lots of running. "Maybe things could get really bad in Dendermonde, then he dared to lose to the better runners in the past, but Mathieu is also running really well".

In 2020 and 2021 Wout van Aert beat the Dutchman with large gaps involved, but after his knee injury it's unlikely that we'll see the Visma rider in his prime running. "Wout van Aert will have to be really great to beat Mathieu, and we can ask ourselves whether that will work this winter," Albert wonders.

Read also

Eli Iserbyt tries to go on despite his long-term medical condition: "It's not an injury, it's a way of life"

Clément Venturini fears for the future of cyclocross: "Mathieu and Wout set the bar so high that I don't know who will attract the public when they stop..."