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

PROFESSIONISTI

EVENEPOEL SORPRENDE TUTTI E CAMBIA IDEA: DOMANI IL TEST, DOMENICA IL FIANDRE

Domenica sera, dopo il Giro di Catalogna che aveva concluso al quinto posto, era stato categoricamente confermato che Remco Evenepoel non avrebbe partecipato al Giro delle Fiandre. E invece non sarà così. Giovedì il due volte olimpionico effettuerà un sopralluogo...

PROFESSIONISTI

ATTRAVERSO LE FIANDRE. VAN AERT E I VISMA SONO GLI UOMINI DA BATTERE

I corridori che saranno al via di Attraverso le Fiandre non troveranno grandi novità sul percorso, anche se sono stati inseriti due nuovi settori. La partenza è prevista anche quest'anno da Roeselare e dopo 184, 6 km si arriverà a...

GIOVANI

PONTE A EGOLA, TUTTO PRONTO PER L’EDIZIONE 2026 DI “PASQUALANDO”

L’U.C. S.Croce sull’Arno e la Ciclistica San Miniato sono pronte a regalare agli appassionati di ciclismo la quinta edizione di “Pasqualando - La Pasqua pedalando”, con il solito ricco programma di gare nei giorni di sabato 4 aprile e domenica...

FUORISTRADA

BOTTECCHIA FACTORY DOMINA LA GRAN FONDO DELL'ARGENTARIO

Dominio assoluto nella Gran Fondo dell'Argentario da parte della squadra Bottecchia Factory di Calenzano. È stata un’ottima gara quella effettuata dalla formazione fiorentina che si è aggiudicata il primo e secondo posto assoluto e quello della categoria Under 23. Un...

TABLET

TUTTOBICI DI APRILE È PRONTO: POTETE SCARICARLO

Il nuovo numero di tuttoBICI, quello di APRILE 2026, è arrivato! Il 148esimo numero digitale di tuttoBICI è disponibile nei chioschi virtuali. Da oltre tredici anni, ormai, abbiamo detto addio alla carta, addio alle edicole: tuttoBICI è stato il primo ad entrare nella nuova era digitale e...

DILETTANTI

COPPA FIERA DI MERCATALE. SUCCESSO DI BAMBAGIONI DELLA TECHNIPES #INEMILIAROMAGNA. GALLERY

La 64^ Coppa Fiera di Mercatale Valdarno per élite e under 23, una delle corse regionali dal passato più prestigioso, su di un percorso inedito per ragioni di viabilità, è stata firmata quest’anno dal grossetano Tommaso Bambagioni della Technipes InEmiliaRomagna...

NEWS

IL PARIS SAINT GERMAIN PENSA AL CICLISMO? LO SPORT PENSA AD UN NUOVO SISTEMA DI BUSINESS

È una suggestione: mettersi anche a pedalare oltre che prendere a calci un pallone. È una suggestione, forse anche una “boutade”, ma visto che arriva dal Paris Saint‑Germain, forse un briciolo di attenzione è giusto anche darla. Dal calcio al...

PROFESSIONISTI

TOP-10 "MADE IN FRANCE" ALLA PARIS-CAMEMBERT, VINCE GAUTHERAT (DECATHLON CMA CGM)

Seconda vittoria in carriera per il 23enne Pierre Gautherat (Decathlon CMA CGM) che si aggiudica la novantesima edizione della Paris-Camembert: 198 km da Favrieux a Livarot-Pays-d'Auge. Ripresa ai -35 dal traguardo la fuga di giornata, è partito un sestetto 100% made in...

PROFESSIONISTI

ALLARME ALMEIDA: «HO BISOGNO DI CAPIRE PERCHÉ LE COSE NON VANNO». GIRO A RISCHIO?

João Almeida lancia l'allarme ed è un segnale importante, visto che arriva a poche settimane dal Giro d'Italia per il quale il portoghese dovrebbe essere il capitano designato della UAE Emirates XRG. Il condizionale è d'obbligo perché, dopo un mese...

BICICLETTE

LOOK. 795 BLADE RS "CIEL DU NORD", IL MITO DI JALABERT E L'INFERNO DELLA ROUBAIX

LOOK Cycle presenta la 795 Blade RS “Ciel du Nord", una speciale livrea in edizione limitata che nasce come tributo ciclistico all'atmosfera speciale ed unica delle terre di confine tra Francia e Fiandre. Qui nella tappa Roubaix-Bruxellese del Tour de France 1992...