Hoogerheide, Netherlands - 25 January 2026.
Mathieu van der Poel delivered another statement performance at UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup #12, winning the season finale in Hoogerheide and further cementing his place at the very top of cyclo-cross history.
The Dutch superstar powered to victory ahead of a chasing group led by the sport’s new generation, with Thibau Nys once again proving to be his closest rival. While Nys showed grit and consistency throughout the race, he ultimately couldn’t match van der Poel’s decisive accelerations on the technical Hoogerheide circuit.
A Record-Defining Win
This victory carried significance beyond the day’s result. With it, Mathieu van der Poel officially matched Sven Nys’s all-time record of 50 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup wins, a benchmark that had stood for more than a decade.
Sven Nys, long regarded as the greatest cyclo-cross rider in history, set the standard during an era defined by relentless consistency. Van der Poel has now drawn level, and, with future seasons still ahead of him, appears poised to surpass that legendary mark outright.
It’s not a “world record” in terms of speed or time, but in cyclo-cross, World Cup victories are the gold standard of longevity and dominance. On that metric, van der Poel is now statistically level with the sport’s most iconic name.
Duel Across Generations
For Thibau Nys, the Hoogerheide race underlined both the challenge and the opportunity of racing in van der Poel’s era. The Belgian continues to emerge as one of the discipline’s brightest talents, frequently closest to the Dutchman across the 2025–2026 season.
While the gap remains clear on paper, the rivalry signals a passing of eras: van der Poel matching the achievements of Sven Nys, while Thibau Nys - his son - leads the next wave trying to dethrone him.
Alpecin Podium Sweep
Behind van der Poel, the battle for second intensified dramatically. A chase group that at one point swelled to 17 riders gradually whittled down as the race progressed. With two laps remaining, the fight for the podium narrowed to a handful of contenders.
On the bell lap, Nys attacked aggressively, hoping to secure at least second place. The Belgian was first over the wooden planks and first up the Stairway to Heaven climb, but his early effort proved costly. In the final sprint, both del Grosso and Vandeputte had saved enough energy to overtake the fading Nys, delivering Alpecin-Premier Tech a historic clean sweep.
"To finish 1-2-3 for the team is something special," del Grosso said. "Mathieu was in a class of his own today, but we fought hard for those spots behind him."
Men's Elite Results:
- Mathieu van der Poel (NED/Alpecin-Premier Tech) 58:41
- Tibor del Grosso (NED/Alpecin-Premier Tech) +1:20
- Niels Vandeputte (BEL/Alpecin-Premier Tech) +1:20
- Thibau Nys (BEL/Baloise Trek Lions)