Van Aert vs Van der Poel: One of cycling’s defining rivalries returns at Paris-Roubaix

The rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert has its roots in cyclocross, dating back to their junior years.

During the 2011–2012 season, they faced each other frequently. Van der Poel was still a first-year junior, Van Aert a second-year, but the gap on paper did not reflect reality. With just four months between them, Van der Poel was already further developed physically, while Van Aert was still waiting for his growth spurt and lacked strength. Despite being younger, the Dutchman dominated, losing only two of their 26 meetings. One of those defeats came in Ruddervoorde, where Van Aert managed to beat him.

A year later, in the 2012–2013 season, their paths did not cross. Van der Poel remained in the junior ranks, while Van Aert had already stepped up to the under 23 category.

Their rivalry resumed in 2013–2014, and this time it was far more balanced. Van Aert had made a significant leap forward, winning 12 of their duels, while Van der Poel took 11. On the biggest stage, the World Championships, it was Van Aert who came out on top, taking the title, while Van der Poel had an off day and finished third.

By the 2014–2015 season, the rivalry had fully matured. Both riders moved into the elite ranks and quickly established themselves at the top of the sport. Van Aert again held a slight edge across the season, winning nine of their encounters to Van der Poel’s six. But at the World Championships in Tábor, it was Van der Poel who delivered, taking the rainbow jersey, while Van Aert was hampered by mechanical issues.

Still only 20 years old, the two were already setting the standard in cyclocross.

The next phase of the rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert was defined by consistency at the very top.

In the 2015–2016 season, they underlined their status by finishing first and second on the UCI ranking. It was a pattern they would repeat four times, up to the 2019–2020 campaign. Only Van Aert’s heavy crash in the Tour de France time trial in Pau interrupted that sequence. By then, both had already started shifting their focus increasingly towards the road.

Back in 2015–2016, it was Van Aert who again held the upper hand, winning ten of their duels to Van der Poel’s seven. He also took the world title in Zolder, in a race that featured one of the more unusual moments in their rivalry, when Van der Poel got his foot caught in Van Aert’s wheel. The Dutchman managed to get going again, but the effort cost him. Van Aert did not hesitate and rode to victory.

From that point on, momentum began to swing. In the 2016–2017 season, Van der Poel took control, winning 21 of their encounters, compared to nine for Van Aert. Yet once again, the World Championships told a different story. On a rock strewn course, Van der Poel suffered four punctures, while Van Aert opted for heavier tyres with more grip. It proved decisive, as the Belgian claimed another rainbow jersey.

In the years that followed, Van der Poel increasingly got the better of their head to head battles across the season. Still, Van Aert delivered on the biggest stage in 2018, producing a standout ride in Valkenburg to win the world title by a margin of more than two minutes. A year later, after another dominant winter, Van der Poel responded by reclaiming the rainbow jersey in Bogense, a long awaited reward.

By then, the balance of their rivalry was already beginning to shift. Van Aert’s crash in 2019, combined with a growing focus on the road, reduced the intensity of their cyclocross battles. From 2020 onwards, Van der Poel also cut back his cross programme, prioritising his road ambitions.

The duels in cyclocross became less frequent, but the rivalry itself did not fade. It simply moved to a bigger stage, where it would reach even greater heights.

Physical setbacks delayed the next chapter, but once it began, the rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert quickly found new ground.

Recurring knee issues limited Van der Poel in the summers of 2015 and 2016, meaning their first real duels on the road did not come until 2017. Early encounters were often decided in reduced bunch sprints, but their first genuine head to head battle came at Dwars door het Hageland that year. Van der Poel took the win, Van Aert finished third, with Taco van der Hoorn splitting the two.

A year later, both riders reached the podium at the European Championships in Glasgow, underlining their rapid transition from cyclocross stars to road contenders. Five years on, they would stand on the same roads again, this time at the World Championships, with Van der Poel taking the title.

By 2019, their rivalry had fully arrived in the Spring Classics. Van Aert already had a season of experience, including a podium at Strade Bianche and a top ten finish at the Tour of Flanders. For Van der Poel, it was his first full Classics campaign, but he immediately made an impact.

In Flanders, he was arguably the strongest rider in the race before a heavy crash took him out of contention. Remarkably, he fought his way back to finish fourth. Two weeks later, he delivered one of the most memorable performances of the season, coming from far behind to win the Amstel Gold Race.

Van Aert, meanwhile, was also evolving rapidly on the road. That same summer, he underlined his versatility by winning two stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné and adding a stage victory at the Tour de France.

What had started in the mud had now fully translated to the biggest races on the road.

By 2020, the rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert had fully carried over to the road, and it did so in dramatic fashion.

The season itself was anything but normal. The spring calendar was wiped out by COVID 19, only to restart in the summer under extreme conditions. When racing resumed, it was Van Aert who hit the ground running, winning both Strade Bianche and Milan–Sanremo.

Van der Poel struggled in Tuscany, finishing well down the field, more than ten minutes behind. The extreme heat, close to 40 degrees, did not suit him. In Sanremo, however, he was much closer to his rival, even if Van Aert still proved the stronger of the two.

Their next confrontation came at Gent-Wevelgem, and it quickly turned into a tactical duel. The two were clearly the strongest riders in the race and found themselves in the decisive group. But the dynamics worked against Van Aert. Fresh off sprint wins in the Tour de France, he was the marked man, forced to respond to every move, often with Van der Poel on his wheel. The stalemate opened the door for Mads Pedersen to take the win, while frustration between the two rivals became visible.

A week later, they met again in the Tour of Flanders, this time for one of the defining races of their rivalry. Julian Alaphilippe had looked the strongest on the climbs, but a crash took him out while the trio was up the road, leaving Van der Poel and Van Aert alone at the front.

On the final Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, neither could drop the other. It came down to a sprint in Oudenaarde, where Van der Poel edged it, sealing one of the most memorable editions in recent history.

The 2021 season offered another chapter in the rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, but this time, intensity often came at a cost.

Their first real clash came at Strade Bianche, where Van der Poel delivered a dominant victory. Van Aert, by contrast, struggled and finished fourth. Just two days later, both lined up at Tirreno–Adriatico, where they went head to head across multiple stages, repeatedly pushing each other to the limit. In hindsight, it was an effort that seemed to take its toll as the spring progressed.

In Milan–Sanremo and the E3 Saxo Classic, both riders appeared evenly matched but lacked the edge to win. Jasper Stuyven surprised with a late attack in Sanremo, while Kasper Asgreen dominated the E3. The same pattern continued at the Tour of Flanders, where Asgreen again proved strongest, beating Van der Poel in a sprint. Van Aert, meanwhile, never quite found his best level and finished sixth.

The summer brought new opportunities, but also new setbacks. The opening stages of the Tour de France were ideally suited to both riders, yet their preparations had been disrupted. Van Aert underwent surgery for appendicitis earlier in the season, while Van der Poel was forced to abandon the Tour de Suisse due to illness.

Neither featured in the fight for victory on the opening stage, but Van der Poel quickly turned things around. A day later, he produced one of the standout performances of the Tour to take the yellow jersey. His campaign ended after stage eight, when he left the race to focus on the Olympic mountain bike event.

Van Aert, in contrast, built into the race. Once his form returned, it did so emphatically. He went on to win the double ascent of Mont Ventoux, the final time trial and the stage on the Champs Élysées, a rare and remarkable treble in a single Tour.

At the end of the season, they met again at the UCI Road World Championships and Paris–Roubaix, which had been pushed to the autumn due to the pandemic. Neither arrived at their peak. Van Aert appeared to have overreached in his preparation, while Van der Poel was still dealing with back pain following his Olympic crash.

In Roubaix, however, Van der Poel still managed to fight for victory, using his technical skill to navigate the wet cobbles. In the end, he was beaten in the sprint, closing a season where both had shown flashes of brilliance, but rarely at the same time.

The 2022 season never quite delivered a full scale duel between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, largely due to setbacks on both sides.

Van der Poel’s campaign was delayed by a persistent back injury, forcing him to start his season at Milan–Sanremo. He returned immediately at a high level, finishing on the podium. Van Aert, meanwhile, had already built momentum, winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and impressing at Paris–Nice. In Sanremo, he finished eighth, having spent too much energy in the final to contest the sprint.

After that, their paths barely crossed during the spring. Van der Poel used smaller races such as Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali and Dwars door Vlaanderen as preparation for the Tour of Flanders, while Van Aert focused on the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem. His campaign was then interrupted by COVID 19, forcing him to miss Flanders altogether.

Van der Poel went on to win the Ronde for a second time, but his spring ended on a more difficult note at Paris–Roubaix. A disrupted build up and high temperatures took their toll. Van Aert, despite his recent illness, looked strong in Roubaix, but race circumstances worked against him. Forced to chase, he was eventually beaten by a solo move from Dylan van Baarle.

Their next meeting came at the Tour de France, but once again, circumstances intervened. Mathieu van der Poel, having combined the Giro d’Italia with an altitude camp, arrived fatigued and was forced to abandon the race. Wout van Aert, meanwhile, stood out, winning the points classification and playing a key role in helping Jonas Vingegaard defeat Tadej Pogačar.

The final potential clash of the season came at the UCI Road World Championships in Australia, but it never materialised. A disrupted night due to a hotel incident saw Van der Poel leave the race early, closing a year in which the rivalry never fully ignited.

The 2023 season showed a more measured rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, with both appearing to learn from previous all out duels.

Their first meeting came at Tirreno–Adriatico, where neither pushed things to the limit. The more conservative approach seemed to pay off. Shortly after, Van der Poel claimed a solo victory in Milan–Sanremo, while Van Aert finished third. A week later, the Belgian struck back, winning the E3 Saxo Classic in a three rider sprint ahead of Van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar.

At the Tour of Flanders, it was Pogačar who proved strongest. Van der Poel came closest, holding on until the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, where the decisive move was made. Van Aert had already been dropped earlier, on the Oude Kruisberg.

Two weeks later, in Paris–Roubaix, the long awaited head to head finally unfolded. On the Carrefour de l’Arbre, Van Aert attacked and created a gap, with Van der Poel briefly on the limit. But the duel never reached its natural conclusion. A puncture ended Van Aert’s chances, allowing Van der Poel to ride solo to victory in Roubaix. What could have been a two up sprint on the velodrome was never realised.

Both riders returned to the Tour de France later that summer, largely using the race as preparation for the World Championships. There, Van der Poel delivered again, taking the rainbow jersey despite a late crash. Van Aert was also among the strongest, but had to settle for second place behind his long time rival.

The 2024 season never quite delivered the head to head many expected between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, largely due to timing and misfortune.

Their first meeting did not come until the E3 Saxo Classic. Van der Poel had delayed the start of his season until Milan–Sanremo, limiting his race days to peak for key targets. Van Aert, meanwhile, followed a different approach, heading to altitude after the Opening Weekend. As a result, their first real clash came unusually late.

On the Paterberg, Van der Poel launched his decisive move. At the exact same moment, Van Aert crashed. Fresh back from altitude, the Belgian lacked the race sharpness to close the gap. Van der Poel rode on to a dominant victory, while Van Aert, after a long chase, faded late and was passed for second by Jasper Stuyven.

Any hope of a rematch in the Classics was short lived. Days later, Van Aert suffered a heavy crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen, bringing an abrupt end to his spring campaign. He later said he had some of his best legs ever that day, leaving open the question of what might have been in the weeks that followed.

Both riders returned in the summer at the Tour de France, again with a measured approach, building towards the Olympic road race. By the time they reached Paris, both were in top form and among the strongest on the climbs around Montmartre. But their rivalry worked against them. Marking each other closely, they allowed Remco Evenepoel to break clear and take the win.

The end of 2024 had already cast a shadow over Wout van Aert’s following season. A heavy crash in the Vuelta a España disrupted his winter and preparation for 2025. Although he was able to line up for his main targets, something was missing compared to previous years.

He followed a similar build up as in 2024, but the difference became clear when he faced Mathieu van der Poel again at the E3 Saxo Classic. Van der Poel dominated, while Van Aert was never in contention.

Their next meeting came at the Tour of Flanders, where the picture was more nuanced. Van der Poel was not at his best after falling ill following the E3, and although he looked stronger in the early phases, Van Aert was able to match him in the final. The race, however, was decided elsewhere, as Tadej Pogačar rode clear to a dominant victory. Behind him, Mads Pedersen outsprinted both Van der Poel and Van Aert for second place, leaving the Dutchman third.

A week later, in Paris–Roubaix, Van Aert’s chances were again compromised early. An early crash forced him into a long chase, costing crucial energy and leaving him just short of the podium in fourth. Van der Poel, by contrast, delivered another commanding performance to take the win.

Both riders returned to the Tour de France, but once again, circumstances shaped the outcome. Van Aert fell ill just before the race and lacked his usual sharpness in the opening week, leaving him unable to match Van der Poel on the punchy terrain. The Dutchman claimed the yellow jersey for the second time in his career, before later abandoning the race due to a lingering infection.

They would not face each other again that season, closing a year in which the rivalry rarely found its balance.

In 2026, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel resumed their rivalry at Tirreno–Adriatico, though under very different circumstances.

Van Aert’s winter had been far from ideal. An ankle injury sustained during a cyclocross race in Mol, where he had been leading alongside Van der Poel, disrupted his preparation. Illness followed just before the Opening Weekend, forcing him to use Tirreno as a build up race rather than a primary target. Van der Poel, by contrast, arrived in top form, having already won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and adding two stage victories in Italy.

Six days later, they lined up at Milan–Sanremo, but once again, circumstances prevented a clear verdict. Both riders were caught up in the same crash ahead of the Cipressa. Van der Poel quickly returned to the front, while Van Aert was delayed by a broken bike.

Up the road, Van der Poel was able to follow Tadej Pogačar on the Cipressa, alongside Tom Pidcock. Van Aert, meanwhile, was still chasing. The race shifted again on the Poggio, where Van der Poel was briefly distanced and later brought back by the peloton. Van Aert, coming from behind, launched a late move to secure the final podium spot. Given the circumstances, it remained difficult to draw a clear comparison between the two.

Eight days later, they met again at Gent–Wevelgem, this time in a more direct confrontation. The first ascent of the Kemmelberg was ridden conservatively, but the race opened up on the second passage. Van Aert forced the pace, with only Van der Poel and Florian Vermeersch able to follow.

On the final climb, it was Van der Poel who took over, dropping Vermeersch. Van Aert had to dig deep to hold the wheel but managed to stay in contact. The two riders moved clear together, briefly setting up the prospect of another head to head sprint. This time, however, the peloton returned in the closing metres, denying a repeat of their iconic duel at the Tour of Flanders 2020.

At the Tour of Flanders, UAE Team Emirates animated the race early on the Molenberg, creating an unusually long and demanding finale. On the second ascent of the Kwaremont, Van Aert just lacked the final edge to follow Pogačar’s fierce acceleration, while Van der Poel had the strength to respond. 

The Dutchman held on until the final Kwaremont and delivered a very impressive performance, but he ultimately could not match the Slovenian. Behind them, Van Aert also rode a strong race, dropping Mads Pedersen to secure fourth place, confirming that his engine is well on track for Paris–Roubaix.

Speaking of the Hell of the North, that is a very different challenge. It will be much harder for Pogačar to beat Van der Poel and Van Aert there. We have yet to see a truly fair battle between the two rivals in Roubaix, as one of them has always been affected by misfortune. 

Could this Sunday finally be the day?