"With Mathieu van der Poel at the start, that is almost impossible with the elites" - Tibor Del Grosso refuses to become over confident following Dutch championships win

Tibor Del Grosso has etched his name into Dutch cyclocross history by winning his first national title earlier today. The 21-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider showcased both determination and tactical prowess to secure the victory, marking what could be a pivotal moment in his burgeoning career.

After his triumph, Del Grosso reflected on his performance and future ambitions in an interview with Wielerflits. When asked whether he believes he can challenge for the World Championship next month, the young rider offered a pragmatic response.

“No, I don’t think so. I like to ride a World Championship to win, and with Mathieu van der Poel at the start, that is almost impossible with the elites. So I would rather try to become world champion with the U23s than try to hopefully reach the podium with the elites. Although it remains difficult, these types of races may still make me doubt a bit, but I am confident that there will be more opportunities with the elites in the future.”

Del Grosso also detailed his strategy during the tightly contested race, where he had to stay on the limit throughout. “I hoped to compete for the win, but I have to say that a lot of guys were riding fast. It was actually on the limit the entire race, but it was difficult to really create a definitive gap. So at a certain point I realized that I had to save myself a bit for the last lap and then go full throttle.”

The decisive moment came in the final lap when Del Grosso found an opening to make his move. "I still had the feeling that I could come back. There were still some corners coming up in the second part, where I felt I could ride faster. But the most difficult thing was to get past him," he explained.

He sealed his victory on the final bridge. “I think it was only on the last bridge, when I looked back and thought: it's in. There were quite a few bends before that where he could pass me.”