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

PISTA

MONDIALI PISTA JUNIORES: CENCI DI BRONZO NELLA VELOCITA' DONNE

Matilde Cenci, già iridata nella velocità a squadre, conquista una prestigiosa medaglia di bronzo nel torneo d velocità donne juniores. L'azzurra vicentina di Romano d'Ezzelino conferma la sua predisposizione per la velocità pura battendo nel match decisivo per il terzo...

MERCATO

QUANTI MOVIMENTI, ZANA PEDALA VERSO LA SOUDAL, GEE VERSO INEOS, AYUSO E SOBRERO VEDONO LA LIDL TREK

Venghino siori e siore, ultimi giorni di mercato, con pezzi pregiati a prezzi buonissimi. La Vuelta è sempre stata occasione di incontri e di verifica sul campo. Molto è stato fatto, ma non tutto. Ad esempio era fatta per Filippo...

CONTINENTAL

WEST BOHEMIA TOUR. DOPO IL PROLOGO E LA PRIMA TAPPA, SAVINO GUIDA LA CLASSIFICA GENERALE

Dopo il prologo a cronometro vinto dal belga Mauro Cuylits (Lotto Development) e l'odierna prima tappa, con partenza e arrivo a Rokycany, vinta dal neozelandese Reef Roberts (Groupama FDJ Continental), il toscano Federico Savino (quinto) guida la classifica generale del...

VUELTA

VUELTA25 PER POCHI INTIMI, LA REGIONE PIEMONTE SPIAZZATA

Al Grattacielo della Regione Piemonte che ha accolto la prima sala stampa della Vuelta a España numero 80 che compie 90 anni non si sussurra d’altro. Se ne parla, ma a bassa voce. Molto bassa, ma è impossibile non intercettare...

PROFESSIONISTI

TOUR DU LIMOUSIN. DOPPIETTA DECATHLON AG2R NELL'ULTIMA TAPPA, VENDRAME PRECEDE LAPEIRA! COSTIOU VINCE LA CORSA

Il Tour du Limousin-Périgord - Nouvelle Aquitaine è stato davvero un affare tra squadre francesi: dopo i successi di tappa nelle precedenti tre giornate da parte di Gachignard (Total Energies) Moniquet (Cofidis) e Lapeira (Decathlon Ag2R), l'ultima frazione Saint Hilaire...

GRAN FONDO

GREENFONDO PAOLO BETTINI - LA GEOTERMIA E ANSALDO ENERGIA INSIEME PER CELEBRARE L'ECCELLENZA ITALIANA DELL'ENERGIA RINNOVABILE

La GreenFondo Paolo Bettini – La Geotermia è orgogliosa di annunciare una nuova partnership con Ansaldo Energia, una delle principali realtà globali nella progettazione e realizzazione di impianti per la generazione di energia elettrica. La storia di questa azienda è...

PROFESSIONISTI

RENEWI TOUR. VAN DER POEL ANTICIPA DE LIE E WELLENS. 5° BETTIOL

Mathieu van der Poel ha centrato il successo alla conclusione dei 181 impegnativi chilometri della Aalter / Geraardsbergen, terza tappa del Renewi Tour caratterizzata dal circuito con l’iconico Muur. Nello sprint in ascesa, l'ex campione del mondo in maglia Alpecin...

PROFESSIONISTI

DEUTSCHLAND TOUR. SHEEHAN ALZA LE BRACCIA TROPPO PRESTO E NARVAEZ LO BEFFA: 5° MILAN. VIDEO

Sheehan alza le braccia troppo presto e Narvaez lo beffa. Finale rocambolesco nella seconda tappa del Lidl Deutschland Tour la Herford-Arnsberg. A contedersi il successo Narvaez, Waerenskjold e Sheehan con quest'ultimo, americano della Israel Premier Tech, che alza le braccia...

VUELTA

NIENTE VUELTA PER CARUSO: SCIVOLATA E FRATTURA DELLA MANO

Purtroppo, Damiano Caruso non sarà al via della prima tappa della Vuelta a España domani a Torino. Il 37enne corridore italiano ha riportato una frattura alla mano destra dopo essere scivolato accidentalmente a terra ieri sera dopo la presentazione delle...

JUNIORES

POOL CANTU'-GB JUNIOR. L'ORO DI MATTEOLI CONFERMA IL FEELING CON L'INSEGUIMENTO A SQUADRE

Si tinge dei colori dell'iride la bacheca annuale del Pool Cantù-GB Junior. Che festeggia con immensa soddisfazione il titolo mondiale conquistato da Francesco Matteoli nell'Inseguimento a squadre su pista ai campionati del mondo juniores in svolgimento nel velodromo olandese di...