VAN DER POEL. FROM CROSS TO CLASSICS, ONE THOUGHT ONLY: WIN

CYCLOCROSS | 31/01/2025 | 08:20
di Francesca Monzone
2024 was an extraordinary year for Mathieu Van der Poel, but 2025 could be even more so, because for this absolute talent, the desire to win never stops.
In the past season, he conquered two Monument Classics: the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He also distinguished himself by winning the E3 Saxo Classic and a stage in the Luxembourg Tour. He could have won Milan-Sanremo as he did in 2023, but reasoning coldly and seeing his teammate Philipsen in a good position, he decided to give up the chase towards the finish line, favoring his friend who, thanks to him, did not miss the sprint.
Although he failed to retain the world champion jersey in Zurich, Switzerland, the Dutchman still performed well, finishing third, behind Ben O'Connor and an unleashed Pogačar whom no one that day could have stopped. Among the road results to note are also second place at Gent-Wevelgem and third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. But in 2024, the Dutch son and grandson of art, did not reconfirm himself world champion on the road, he still managed to win two rainbow jerseys.
The first at the World Cyclocross Championships in Tabor, in the Czech Republic, last February 4th and then in Gravel in Leuven on October 6th. In short, Van der Poel is the only rider capable of winning anywhere, without looking at the terrain or opponents, who can do little against his supremacy.
On January 19th, the Alpecin-Deceuninck champion celebrated his 30th birthday and in his palmares there are already 50 road victories, including six Monument Classics (3 Tour of Flanders, 2 Paris-Roubaix, 1 Milan-Sanremo), as well as a road World Championship and a Gravel title. Apart from these, there are the titles won in mountain bike and cyclocross: 6 world titles and three European titles in cyclocross and a European gold in MTB.
The winter season for Raymond Poulidor's nephew started dramatically: five races and as many victories in the short span of eight days from December 22nd to 29th, all with a precise and declared objective, namely the world championship. If he wins in France in a few days, MVDP would win his seventh world title and equal the record held by Eric De Vlaeminck, although in the off-road world there are rumors that the Dutch phenomenon wants to stop only when the rainbow jerseys become 10. Silent and smiling,
Mathieu does not like to talk about his family, especially about his grandfather Raymond, with whom he had a unique and special relationship. Dad Adrie always follows him, but keeping a certain distance, because Mathieu does not like being told what he should or should not do, whether he is about to face a cross or a classic. And in 2025 he will race the one-day races, those where the public arrives at the first light of morning to secure a spot roadside and applaud the greatest champions, will be his great objective.
The clamor of fans pleases him and gives him that charge that leads him to improve, even if on some occasions the lack of respect has unfortunately taken over: while passing near the barriers, some people have repeatedly thrown beer in his face. Acts that the Dutchman immediately denounced, emphasizing that during a race one must never endanger the safety of riders.
Mathieu's road season will once again start from Milan-Sanremo, the first Monument Classic, which he has already raced five times, finishing third in 2022 and first in 2023. Then there will be the Ronde van Vlaanderen, those Flanders that make the heart beat strongly, the great Flemish cycling festival, where victory makes you a semi-god in the land of cycling. The week after he will race Paris-Roubaix and then for subsequent races, such as the Amstel Gold Race, a decision will be made later, when the program up to the Tour de France will be finalized.
Until February, Mathieu Van der Poel wants to remain focused on cyclocross, racing a lot even if the first races of the season have demonstrated his clear superiority.
There have been some direct confrontations with Van Aert, the next will be at the world championship: "Wout and I are used to challenging each other: when he is in the race, it's like entering a familiar environment for me and I like when I can face him". The last world championship where they faced each other was in 2023 in the Netherlands, a few steps from the house where Adrie Van der Poel grew up. Mathieu had won and Van Aert, acknowledging defeat, listened silently to the Dutchman's words. "I am sure that one day we will find ourselves talking about our races" - Van der Poel had said -. "I think that together we have made this sport more beautiful and one day we will be able to tell what great things we have done".
On the grass and in the mud, Mathieu currently has no opponents capable of challenging him: his superiority is so clear that it seems impossible for anyone to try to keep his pace. In the head of the Dutch phenomenon is the road bike and those races that must absolutely be won, but in his heart is cyclocross and Mathieu has often confessed to finding road races sometimes boring. In reality, in the future of this guy there continues to be 360-degree cycling: whatever the terrain he will be called to measure himself on, it is certain that MVDP will race where he can have fun and above all make the public who wait for him roadside have fun, ready to cheer him towards victory. From tuttoBICI January issue

COMMENTI

Per poter commentare i post devi esser registrato.
Se sei giá nostro utente esegui il login altrimenti registrati.

TBRADIO

00:00

INTERVISTA

TAGLIANI. «ALLA CHINA CHERMIN SONO FELICE. IL CICLISMO CINESE STA CRESCENDO, SONO QUI PER FAR BENE E AIUTARE I GIOVANI»

Nelle categorie giovanili correva con il sorriso sulle labbra e la spensieratezza di chi ama pedalare in sella ad una bici. Sulle labbra di Filippo Tagliani c’è ancora quel sorriso e l’atleta di Gavardo ama ancora pedalare: ascoltandolo parlare lo...

APPROFONDIMENTI

GIANNI MURA E QUELLA BIBLIOTECA CHE AIUTA A SPICCARE IL VOLO

Nasce in un’Isola felice la Biblioteca dello Sport dedicata a Gianni Mura. Nasce in uno dei quartieri più popolari e popolati di Milano, in quel quartiere denominato Isola e più precisamente in via Federico Confalonieri, 3, dove poche mattine fa...

STORIA

LE STORIE DEL FIGIO. VITTORIO STRUMOLO, ORGANIZZATORE "MULTITASKING" CON IL CICLISMO NEL CUORE

Vittorio Strumolo rappresenta un riferimento di primario valore nella piccola storia – comunque storia – quale organizzatore di molteplici eventi sportivi di grande presa sul pubblico negli anni del secondo dopoguerra fino a metà circa degli anni 1970. Il dottor...

TELETUTTO. IL TEAM GUERRINI SENAGHESE E LA SCUOLA CICLISMO MINCIO CHIESE SVELANO PROGRAMMI E AMBIZIONI

Torna questa sera alle 20.30 sulle frequenze di Teletutto l'appuntamento con Ciclismo Oggi, lo storico appuntamento dedicato al ciclismo giovanile. Una puntata interamente dedicata alla scoperta di due realtà giovanili dalla storia completamente diversa. Ad aprire la puntata sarà il Team Guerrini Senaghese...

STORIA

L'ORA DEL PASTO. SALUZZO E L'«OFFICINA CICLISTICA PARTIGIANA» CHE PEDALAVA PER LA LIBERTA'

Officina ciclistica partigiana. La scritta, tutta in maiuscolo, sotto un balcone, sopra un negozio-bottega, in corso Piemonte 29, a Saluzzo. In piedi, i due ciclisti, i due fratelli Frusso: a sinistra Lorenzo, del 1919, la mano destra appoggiata a una...

DILETTANTI

GALLINA LUCCHINI ECOTEK COLOSIO. DALLA CROAZIA ALLE MARCHE PER IL GP CIVITANOVA MARCHE

Dal rientro quasi immediato dalla gara in Croazia, dove ieri si è svolto l’Umag Classic, alla nuova trasferta nelle Marche. Domenica 8 marzo il Team Gallina Lucchini Ecotek Colosio sarà al via del Gran Premio dell’Industria di Civitanova Marche, appuntamento ormai...

PROFESSIONISTI

BAHRAIN-VICTORIOUS, AL TROFEO LAIGUEGLIA ALTRI SEGNALI IMPORTANTI PER TIBERI

Al Trofeo Laigueglia Antonio Tiberi è stato autore di un’altra corsa di grande spessore. Assieme al compagno di squadra e poi vincitore Santiago Buitrago, il ventiquattrenne laziale si è infatti mosso alla perfezione andando a imprimere le svolte decisive...

PROFESSIONISTI

TROFEO LAIGUEGLIA, BUITRAGO SFATA IL TABÙ DELLA VITTORIA DOPO 388 GIORNI: “ALZARE LE BRACCIA AL CIELO OGGI SIGNIFICA TANTO”

Tornando ad alzare le braccia al cielo sul traguardo del 63° Trofeo Laigueglia, Santiago Buitrago è sembrato togliersi dalla schiena un discreto fardello e, contemporaneamente, acquisire un’immediata e rinnovata serenità. È stata questa la sensazione percepita trovandoci di fronte...

CONTINENTAL

UMAG CLASSIC. BRADAC E RAJOVIC,INCREDIBILE EX-AEQUO. 4° BUDA E 8° PERSICO

Il pari merito in una corsa su strada è cosa assai rara ma capita. È accaduto oggi nella Umag Classic gara Open del calendario UCI 1.2. Volata serratissima e vittoria assegnata in un primo momento a Adam Bradac, ceko della Factor Racing....

PROFESSIONISTI

TROFEO LAIGUEGLIA. LA STOCCATA DI BUITRAGO! 3° TIBERI, TANTA ITALIA IN TOP 10

Un Santiago Buitrago in grande spolvero vince e convince al Trofeo Laigueglia 2026. Lo scalatore colombiano della Bahrain Victorious, al primo successo in carriera in una classica, si è scatenato sul circuito finale, facendo la selezione sul primo passaggio da...