Cyclocross battles will rage between Van der Poel and Van Aert in the weeks ahead, a precursor to the spring classics.
Silver medalist Wout Van Aert, gold medalist Mathieu Van Der Poel and bronze medalist Thibau Nys on the podium after the 2025 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships (Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Published December 22, 2025 02:49AM
When and where will Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert clash this holiday season?
Fans of the sport who tuned in to the first big showdown between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert in the Antwerp World Cup on Saturday have four more skirmishes to look forward too.
Next up is the X20 Trofee race in Hofstade on Monday, December 22.
Another big smash-up will happen on Monday, December 29 at the X20 Trofee race in Loenhout.
Two more will remain after that, both early next month.
The current and former world champions will duel once again in the Exact Cross in Mol on January 2.
The Zonhoven round of the World Cup will follow two days later.
Other riders will of course take part, but Van der Poel and Van Aert are two of the biggest names in the sport and have a ferocious rivalry stretching back over a dozen years, both in cross and on the road.
That’s why they command so much attention when they are on the same start line. And that’s why fans and media so look forward to those events.
Recent history sees one rider have the edge
Fans will be urging on the two riders this winter (Photo: Luc Claessen / Belga Mag via AFP)
Van Aert has made clear in recent years that the classics are his big goal, and that the cross races are primarily part of a buildup to that.
His chances in the winter months have also been complicated by injury, with his big crash in the 2024 Vuelta a España affecting him a year ago.
That said, he did win the C2 in Gullegem on January 4 and the Dendermonde round of the World Cup the following day.
Van der Poel didn’t compete in those two and had the upper hand in the three races they did clash in.
The last time Van Aert came out best in a CX clash with his rival was the Benidorm World Cup in January 2024. He crashed during the race, while Van der Poel had both a crash and a dropped chain.
The latter ran out of steam at the finish and ended up fifth, 12 seconds behind Van Aert.
The latter will hope for the same kind of result this winter, even if Saturday’s race showed there is a gap to be closed between them.
He finished only seventh, 51 seconds back. A puncture about halfway through likely cost him a podium finish.
It might take one or two races, but things should be a lot closer between them as Van Aert gets some race sharpness in.
Of course, it’s not just about the races where they both will take part.
There are several other events that each rider will ride this winter. See a full list of dates and venues below, and catch those races on TV or online if you can.
Schedule for 2025-2026 cyclocross season:
Mathieu van der Poel:
Done:
December 14: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Namur (winner)
December 20: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Antwerp (winner)
December 21: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Koksijde (winner)
Remaining:
December 22: X2O Trofee, Hofstade *
December 26: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Gavere
December 29: X2O Trofee, Loenhout *
January 1: X2O Trofee, Baal
January 2: Exact Cross, Mol *
January 4: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Zonhoven *
January 18: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Benidorm (TBC)
January 24: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Maasmechelen
January 25: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Hoogerheide
February 1: UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Hulst
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Wout Van Aert:
Done:
Dec 20: UCI World Cup, Antwerp (seventh place)
Remaining:
Dec 22: X2O Trofee, Hofstade *
Dec 23: Superprestige, Heusden-Zolder
Dec 28: UCI World Cup, Dendermonde
Dec 29: X2O Trofee, Loenhout *
Jan 2: Exact Cross, Mol *
Jan 4: UCI World Cup, Zonhoven *
Jan 11: Belgian National Championships, Beringen
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* Event where both riders will take part