'Bloody hell, not by a long shot' - De Vlaeminck rejects Van der Poel 'greatest ever' label after 8th world title

De Vlaeminck, 78, spoke to Het Nieuwsblad in a wide ranging conversation in which he briefly reflected on his New Year’s night car accident before turning to cyclocross and the modern peloton. He escaped serious injury after going off the road and ending up in a ditch, later describing himself as fortunate. 

“Bloody hell, I was lucky,” he said, adding that he was relieved no one else was harmed. “What a relief that I did not make other victims.” De Vlaeminck also accepted responsibility. “I will say one thing about it. The crash was my own fault.” 

His partner Peggy Breunig also clarified one detail about the aftermath. “For the avoidance of doubt, Roger took a negative alcohol test,” she said.

The sharper edge arrived when the topic shifted to Van der Poel, whose eighth rainbow jersey moved him past Erik De Vlaeminck, Roger’s brother and the previous record holder. Asked whether that now makes the Dutchman the greatest cyclocross rider of all time, De Vlaeminck’s reply was immediate. “Bloody hell, no. Not by a long shot.”

His argument is not that Van der Poel lacks quality. Instead, he points to the context around titles, especially the depth and character of the competition across generations. He referenced his brother’s career as an example of how numbers can mislead. 

“With Erik it was over at 28, worn out by his foolishness. How many more titles could he not have won,” he said, before listing names from earlier eras to underline his point. “And may I list them. Renato Longo, Rolf Wolfshohl, Albert Van Damme, Peter Frischknecht, Erik, me. Those were different men than now.”

De Vlaeminck also singled out Thibau Nys as the rider he most enjoys watching, praising his fight more than the inevitability that can surround Van der Poel’s dominance. “He is good. Not the best, but good. I like watching him. He always fights,” he said. “If you can stay in Van der Poel’s wheel for three, four laps, then you are not bad. Nys can do that. I am a supporter.”

The Belgian legend extended that generational scepticism to the wider cycling scene too, even while acknowledging today’s stars. 

“Of course Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Pogačar are good riders, but when I watch them I cannot enjoy it,” he said. “I want to ride, to race against those guys, beat them the way I sometimes could beat Merckx.” 

He added that racing against Eddy Merckx was a benchmark unlike any other. “Merckx, man, he was such a strong person. Do you know I was sometimes afraid of him. It hurt, just sitting in his wheel,” he said, before ending in his own familiar, half joking register. 

“And still I won 512 races. 512. Do you want me to list them all,” he concluded.