2025 UCI Cyclocross World Championships

Mathieu Van Der Poel Wins 7th Title At Cyclocross World Championships 2025

Mathieu Van Der Poel Wins 7th Title At Cyclocross World Championships 2025

Mathieu Van Der Poel wins his seventh cyclo-cross world title, equaling Erik De Vlaeminck’s record and defeating Wout Van Aert by 45 seconds.

Feb 2, 2025 by AFP Report
Mathieu Van Der Poel Wins 7th Title At Cyclocross World Championships 2025

Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel became cyclo-cross world champion for a seventh time on Sunday, equaling Belgian Erik De Vlaeminck's record set 52 years ago.


Unstoppable Van Der Poel

Undefeated this season, Van Der Poel dominated the course in familiar fashion, beating his great rival, Belgian Wout Van Aert, by 45 seconds.

Another Belgian, Thibau Nys, secured third place, finishing 1 minute and 6 seconds behind the champion.

"It's historic. It's a record that has stood for a long time. I never would have imagined that, it's very special," said Van Der Poel.

Van Aert Struggles As Van Der Poel Dominates

Van Der Poel has won all seven cyclo-cross races this season, while Van Aert has struggled to match his rival upon returning to the discipline where they have competed since their mid-teens.

The much-anticipated battle between the two never materialized as Van Aert lost ground in the opening lap, allowing Van Der Poel to build an insurmountable lead.

This latest triumph further cements the 30-year-old’s dominance, having won all world titles since 2019 except for 2022, when Britain’s Tom Pidcock claimed gold in the United States while Van Der Poel and Van Aert opted not to make the long trip.

Three-time champion Van Aert’s last victory dates back to 2018, with the Belgian settling for four silver medals since.

Van Der Poel Executes Cross Worlds 2025 Plan Perfectly

Van der Poel executed his plan flawlessly, surging ahead from the start to discourage his rivals. "I had a great start and good legs. I wanted to open up a gap immediately, and I did," he said. "I got away quickly, but then Toon Aerts passed me on an uphill section. Still, I knew exactly where I needed to be to control the race. Once you get a gap that early, you feel unstoppable."

Despite his early dominance, a flat tire in the third lap threatened to derail his race. "It happened right after the first pit zone, so I had to ride quite a while with a flat front tire," Van der Poel admitted. "I took it carefully because I was really worried about mechanical issues. I even asked to increase my tire pressure a bit."

By the time he reached the finish, his victory was never in doubt. With his seventh world title, Van der Poel now stands alongside Belgian legend Erik De Vlaeminck, who set the record decades ago.

"When you turn pro, you dream of winning one world title," he reflected. "I can hardly believe this is my seventh. That record had been standing for a long time."

As for an eighth title next year—on home soil in the Netherlands—Van der Poel isn't thinking that far ahead just yet. "We'll see," he said with a grin. "First, I'm going to enjoy this one."