"You know that Van Aert comes to win, that only improves his focus" - Adrie van der Poel reacts to Mathieu's historic cyclocross world championship win
Cyclocross
Yesterday Cyclocross history was made in Liévin as Mathieu
van der Poel secured his seventh Cyclocross World Championship title in fantastic
fashion. From the very first lap, the Dutchman stamped his authority on the
race, distancing the competition and equalling the all-time record for most
rainbow jerseys in cyclocross.
The much-anticipated battle between Van der Poel and his
long-time rival Wout van Aert never fully materialised, as the Belgian had to
settle for a distant second place and his wait for a first world title since
2018 goes on. Despite Van Aert's efforts, Van der Poel's aggressive tactics and
superior form ensured a comprehensive victory.
His father, Adrie van der Poel, was present to witness the
historic moment and shared his thoughts on the performance, believing Van
Aert’s presence only served to further motivate his son.
Speaking to Wielerflits, Adrie van der Poel reflected
on Mathieu's race strategy and preparation:
"Apparently it was the right tactic. This course is so
difficult, you better be at the front to stay out of danger. I didn't even
notice that he had a puncture. I heard from the organization that the surface
was getting worse and worse," he said.
He also expressed admiration for how his son meticulously
prepares for major championships.
"It remains special, especially because it's the
seventh. It's amazing how he always manages to prepare himself. He was really
good this year, but a lot less last year. That's why he adjusted his
preparation."
Van der Poel Sr. believes that the presence of Van Aert
added to his son’s focus, “It is impressive how he deals with that surprise.
You have a competitor, and you know that Van Aert comes to win. In the end,
that only improved his focus, so it was mainly an advantage. He did not worry
about it, in recent years you really can't get him nervous anymore."
Despite the historic achievement, Adrie van der Poel
emphasized that his son is still focused on future goals, “He just wants to
win, whether it’s the seventh or not. We’re not nonchalant about it, it’s fun
of course, but you only really have the record if you win the eighth. There
will also be a winter when he doesn’t cyclocross, because he also has to take
the spring into account. That’s sometimes challenging."
He also acknowledged the risks involved in the race but
credited Mathieu's early dominance for making a crucial difference, “Because of
the weather, there’s a danger lurking around every corner, but he can also make
gains there. Because he takes a lead in the first two laps, he can also race
very differently,” said the former rider.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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