Mathieu van der Poel has published the outline of his cyclocross season, aiming to open on at the World Cup in Namur — though that first start could shift. His early calendar remains conditional on being fully race-ready and on how his road training develops, leaving Namur and Benidorm as tentative stops.
His season ended a little abruptly. He resumed training after a post-mountain-bike world championship break in the U.S. Van der Poel ended his season early after a disappointing MTB worlds. The Dutchman went to California, played some golf, and rode a little.
MvdP’s ‘cross season
As far as his ’cross season goes, what’s clear is the emphasis on the UCI CX World Cup. Antwerp, Koksijde, Gavere, Zonhoven, Maasmechelen, and Hoogerheide are all on his list ahead of the following week’s world championships in Hulst, the Netherlands. Those world championships could be historic: he is tied for the all-time win record (7) with Erik De Vlaeminck. The 2026 UCI cyclocross world championships take place at the end of January.
Van der Poel also plans to race Hofstade’s Plage Cross, Loenhout’s Azencross, the GP Sven Nys in Baal, and the Exact Cross in Mol, for a maximum of 13 starts across the winter.
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This is a big year for the reigning world champion. Initially, Alpecin–Deceuninck managed it cautiously. Christoph Roodhooft said during the X2O Badkamers Trofee broadcast, “Around Christmas — he’ll show up somewhere.”
There’s still no indication of when Wout van Aert will pin on a number again, or how much cyclocross he intends to take on this winter. Last season he kept his programme tight — though he did end up stretching it to include the world championships, where he finished second. But cycling fans should know soon.
Apart from Van Aert, there’s another rider who may very well challenge Van der Poel eventually. And just like the Dutchman, Thibau Nys has strong genes — his father, Sven (who rode with Van der Poel’s father, Adri), was a multiple world champion.