Mathieu van der Poel lived up to all expectations, claiming his seventh Cyclo-cross World Championship title with great confidence. With this extraordinary achievement, the Dutch champion equals the record of Belgian Eric De Vlaeminck.
“You always hope to reach such a milestone, but I never imagined I would actually achieve it,” Van der Poel said immediately after the race.
Lightning start to discourage rivals
From the very first meters, Van der Poel set an unsustainable pace for his opponents, quickly taking control of the race.
“I saw in the U23 race, where Tibor del Grosso won, that being in the lead from the start would be crucial on such a demanding course. That’s why I tried to gain an early advantage to discourage the chasers,” explained the exceptional Dutch rider.
A clear strategy: taking control at key moments
When asked about the importance of the first climb, Van der Poel confirmed that his initial speed was decisive, even though Toon Aerts briefly managed to overtake him.
“I knew exactly where I needed to take control of the race. I quickly built up a good lead, which gave me great confidence for the rest of the race,” he added.
A technical issue doesn’t stop the victory
Despite his dominance, Van der Poel faced a critical moment due to a flat front tire.
“After the first checkpoint, I had a puncture and had to continue like that for a long stretch, which took a lot of energy,” he revealed.
To prevent further issues, the champion requested an increase in tire pressure during the race.
Van der Poel enters Cyclo-cross history
With this seventh world title (2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), Van der Poel joins a legend of the discipline, Eric De Vlaeminck.
“This record remained unbeaten for a long time. I hoped to reach it one day, but I never thought it would be possible. It’s truly a special achievement,” he commented.
The question now is: will he break the record for good at next year’s World Championships in the Netherlands? “For now, I’m just enjoying this achievement,” concluded Mathieu van der Poel.