Cyclocross World Championships: Van Der Poel takes record win

Liévin (France), 2 February 2025 – In the end there was no surprise: the Cyclocross World Championships they saw the success of the big favorite Mathieu van der Poel, to his seventh world title overall, his third in a row, in the mud.

Van Der Poel's news and statements

In reality, perhaps even more than the outcome of the contest, the main expectation was placed on the usual duel with Wout van aert, who in turn had signed up to the startlist of the French race almost at the last minute. Instead today there was no race, because ready, go and Van der Poel creates a void behind him. More with the strength of nerves Van Aert, after initially losing a lot of ground, tried to lead the comeback, but in the end the attempt was followed by surrender and the subsequent consolation of second place: the other Belgian, also European champion, closes the podium, Thibau Nys, XNUMX Joel Bertolini, 22esimo, as the best Italian. About Italy: the main joys of the day had arrived a few hours earlier, when Mattia Agostinacchio he had won in the junior category.

Maybe, 'little ones Van der Poel' they grow, but in the meantime the absolute king of the mud remains him, the runner of theAlpecin-Deceuninck which has equaled Eric De Vlaeminck in the ranking of the most successful in the specialty and who did not hide his joy at the end of a race that apparently was not without unexpected events. "Already observing the race under-23 yesterday (won by the other Dutchman Tibor Del Grosso, ed.) we noticed how much better it was to be in front, especially on a treacherous and stony course like this one where it is difficult to pedal. I had a very good start and so I tried to immediately take a certain margin to discourage the pursuers. On the third lap, immediately after the first change, I ran for a long time with the front tire on the ground. I asked the pits to inflate a bit and then I was more cautious". Finally a comment on a record result in any case. "For me it means a lot because I equaled a record that had stood for a very long time. I would have been satisfied to win the World even just once: imagine that 7".

Van Aert's statements

The loser was in a completely different mood Van Aert, who however had already indicated the Dutchman as the absolute favourite on the eve: a prediction confirmed by the race. "I was almost stuck on the barriers after the first bend. There I lost a lot of time and I struggled to get back on the others. Despite everything, I continued to believe in it, trying to go as fast as possible to keep up with Van der Poel. I ran well but to win you have to be lucky and someone else has to be unlucky. Mathieu he won 7 world titles, a record that for many was unattainable, and it is something historic. In a certain sense I am happy to be here to share this moment and to have arrived second after him".