‘I don’t think anyone would object’ - Belgian coach would understand Van der Poel skipping the cyclocross winter

Angelo De Clercq says he would understand if Mathieu van der Poel sat out the cyclocross winter to be there for the birth of his daughter. The Belgian national coach told Wielerflits he had picked up signals that the eight-time world champion might not race at all.

Van der Poel and his partner Roxanne Bertels are expecting their first child in January, the same month the World Championships come to Ostend on 29–31 January. He has yet to announce a winter programme, having won a record eighth elite title in Hulst in February.

“For the race itself, it’s more fun and better if Wout and Mathieu are there. But I would also understand if Mathieu said for once: I’m not riding this winter and I’ll be there when our daughter is born. I don’t think anyone would object to that,” De Clercq told Wielerflits.

Van der Poel has kept his options open. After Hulst, he told Sporza that a season with only the cyclocross Worlds was “also an option”.

Dutch national coach Gerben de Knegt agrees, though he doubts it would suit him. He also suggested Van der Poel could start in December and take a break in January around the birth.

“I think just the World Championships would also be an option. But I know that he himself didn’t like that very much in the past, because he prefers to ride a few more races,” De Knegt told Wielerflits.

Racing so little would cost him on the start grid, where riders who skip the World Cup line up further back. Wout van Aert started from the fourth row in Liévin in 2025 after racing five times that winter, and finished second behind Van der Poel.

De Clercq believes one or two World Cups could be enough to earn a place on the first two rows. Hamme and Hoogerheide fall on the weekend before Ostend.

“Mathieu has the skill to be back at the front after just a lap and a half, starting from a row further back. I think he is actually the only one who can do that,” he said.

Van Aert has confirmed he will race cyclocross this winter. Belgium has not won the elite men’s title since Van Aert took the last of his three in 2018, but De Clercq still wants Van der Poel on the start line, saying a World Championship deserves the best riders.

Ostend last hosted the Worlds in 2021, when it was held without spectators because of the pandemic. Van der Poel won his fourth elite title there.

De Knegt said the decision is Van der Poel’s alone.

“He has to determine that entirely for himself. I think it is important that, if he feels a spark of desire burning again – ‘I want to race cyclocross’ – he does something with it,” he said.