Mathieu van der Poel eyes record eighth world cyclo-cross title

HULST – Dutch cycling star Mathieu van der Poel is bidding to earn a record-breaking eighth title at the cyclo-cross World Championship in his homeland on Feb 1.

The 31-year-old, who is also a star of road cycling, is the overwhelming favourite for victory in Hulst, southwest of Netherlands.

He has not been beaten in more than two years in cyclo-cross and this season he has more often than not put the hammer down to open up an unassailable lead in the first quarter of the race.

Now, van der Poel aims to better the record of seven world titles that he shares with Belgian Eric De Vlaeminck, a cyclo-cross star of the 1960s and 70s, before turning his attention to the road.

If he does win, it may be his last-ever competitive cyclo-cross race.

“It is my ultimate goal in cyclo-cross. If I don’t win on Sunday, I’ll keep going,” he said earlier this week. “I’m close to the (outright) record. I haven’t yet thought about my future if I win.”

It would be a fitting way to leave the sport in front of his home fans after a season in which he secured the overall World Cup title for the second time having won all eight – out of 12 – of the races he entered.

“I still love cyclo-cross but it has to end at some point. I’ve always wanted to retire at the peak of my powers,” added the Dutchman, who has also won world titles in road cycling, mountain-biking and gravel cycling.

Despite his total domination of cyclo-cross, he has three times failed to win the World Championships, finishing 5th in 2016, second in 2017 and third in 2018, all of which were won by Belgium’s Wout Van Aert, who will miss this weekend’s race as he recovers from injury.

That would mean one huge obstacle removed.

“I’ve already started a worlds as favourite without winning,” said van der Poel.

“(But) it’s never won beforehand – that would be too easy! Many things can happen: a mechanical problem, a bad day, a broken chain.”

His competitors are already resigned to fighting for second place, such as Belgian Thibau Nys, who finished second to van der Poel in the World Cup standings.

“Behind Mathieu, there are two podium places up for grabs,” said Nys.

After the World Championships, van der Poel will return to chasing more titles and records on the road as he tries to add to his eight Monument victories.

In March he will try to win a third Milan-San Remo before in April going after a record-breaking fourth Tour of Flanders success and record-equalling fourth crown at Paris-Roubaix.

In the summer, he will then aim to add to his two previous Tour de France stage wins. AFP