Mathieu van der Poel

Mathieu van der Poel (born 19 January 1995) is a Dutch professional cyclist famed for his extraordinary versatility across disciplines. Equally at home in cyclocross, road racing, gravel, and mountain biking, he has amassed world titles in three different cycling disciplines - a feat no other male rider has achieved. Van der Poel races for the Alpecin–Deceuninck team and has racked up victories in the sport’s biggest one-day races while also claiming Grand Tour stage wins. Known for his explosive power, bike-handling skills, and aggressive racing style, he has developed a celebrated rivalry with Belgian star Wout van Aert. As of mid-2025, Mathieu “MVDP” van der Poel stands out as one of cycling’s most exciting talents, a multi-discipline phenom who continually pushes the limits of what a cyclist can do.

Mathieu was born in Kapellen, Belgium, and grew up steeped in cycling heritage. He hails from a dynasty of cyclists: his father Adrie van der Poel was a Classics winner and 1996 cyclocross world champion, and his maternal grandfather is the legendary Raymond Poulidor, an eight-time Tour de France podium finisher. With these family ties, it was no surprise that Mathieu and his older brother David (also a cyclocross racer) took to bike racing early. Van der Poel began competing as a young junior and quickly dominated the cyclocross scene – he won virtually everything in the junior ranks, including back-to-back junior world titles in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, at just 19, he turned professional with the Roodhooft brothers’ BKCP-Powerplus team (the nucleus of what later became Alpecin–Deceuninck). The very next year, 20-year-old van der Poel stunned the cycling world by winning the elite Cyclocross World Championship on his first attempt in 2015, heralding the arrival of a new star.

Despite his cyclocross success, van der Poel’s ambitions always extended to the road. His breakthrough year on the international road scene came in 2019. That spring, he delivered one of the most thrilling victories in recent memory at Amstel Gold Race, bridging a seemingly impossible gap in the final kilometers to win in a spectacular sprint finish The audacious Amstel win - against seasoned stars - announced van der Poel as a major force in road cycling. He carried that momentum through 2019, also winning the Tour of Britain stage race overall and several semi-classics. Fans were quick to note that his blend of endurance from cyclocross and explosive kick made him a natural one-day racer. By the end of 2019, van der Poel had firmly established himself as a headline name in both off-road and road disciplines.

Van der Poel quickly proved that his one-day brilliance was no one-off. He has become a Monument Classics specialist, conquering the sport’s most prestigious one-day races. By 2025, he had amassed seven Monument titles. His attacking style produced iconic moments, such as out-dueling Van Aert in a two-up sprint to win the 2020 Tour of Flanders, a repeat Flanders triumph in 2022, and a dominant solo ride to claim Paris–Roubaix in 2023. In March 2023, Van der Poel won Milan–San Remo, and he went on to make history by winning San Remo again in 2025, becoming the first rider in 17 years to take a second title in that race. These Monument victories, often earned in thrilling fashion, have cemented his reputation as one of the most feared Classics riders of his generation.

Van der Poel has also shone in multi-day races, though he doesn’t target Grand Tour overall titles. He excels in hunting stages and leader’s jerseys in the biggest tours. In the 2021 Tour de France, Mathieu won Stage 2 atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne and realized an emotional dream by pulling on the yellow jersey, which he held for six days, emulating his grandfather Poulidor’s famed Tour exploits. In 2022, Van der Poel won the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia, earning the pink leader’s jersey in his Giro debut. 

Perhaps the crowning achievement of his road career to date came in August 2023, when Van der Poel won the UCI Road World Championships men’s road race in Glasgow. Despite a late crash in the rain-soaked finale, he soloed to victory and became the first Dutch elite men’s road world champion in nearly 40 years. This triumph gave him the coveted rainbow jersey to go along with his multiple cyclocross world titles, underscoring his remarkable multi-discipline pedigree.

No story of Van der Poel’s career is complete without his fierce rivalry with Wout van Aert. The two are close in age, with Van der Poel born in 1995 and Van Aert in 1994, and have been trading blows since their teenage days in cyclocross. They rose through the ranks together and turned their duels into one of modern cycling’s greatest rivalries.

In cyclocross, Van der Poel and Van Aert have dominated the World Championships for the past decade. Mathieu now holds a record seven elite world titles, compared to Wout’s three. In many seasons, the gold and silver went to one or the other. Their contrasting styles - Van der Poel’s explosive attacks versus Van Aert’s steady power - made their battles in the mud unforgettable for fans.

That rivalry carried over seamlessly to the road. From their legendary two-up sprint at the 2020 Tour of Flanders, where Van der Poel won by mere millimetres, to duels in Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships, they have continued to challenge each other at the highest level. Every time they race side by side, whether in winter or spring, the expectations are sky-high.

Off the bike, there is mutual respect. On the bike, they are relentless competitors who continue to push each other further. The story of Van der Poel versus Van Aert is one of cycling’s most gripping rivalries in recent history.

Mathieu van der Poel is in a long-term relationship with Roxanne Bertels, a Belgian who formerly worked in marketing for Porsche. The two met during a work trip to Finland in 2018, when Bertels was involved in a Porsche promotional event and Mathieu was an invited guest. Interestingly, Roxanne admitted she “had no idea who he was” at first – van der Poel was still rising to fame at that time. They became friends and then began dating later in 2018, and have been together ever since.

Bertels, who has also done work as a model and social media influencer, has been a supportive presence throughout van der Poel’s career. Despite van der Poel’s superstar status, the couple tends to keep their personal life relatively private.

With his palmarès and star power, Mathieu van der Poel has secured a lucrative contract. His salary is estimated to be €4 million per year, placing him among the top earners in professional cycling (albeit still a notch below Tadej Pogačar).

In addition to his team salary, van der Poel has individual endorsement deals. Notably, he struck a 10-year sponsorship agreement with Canyon Bicycles (the bike supplier to Alpecin) in 2024 - a historic long-term contract between a rider and a bike brand. He is also an ambassador for Lamborghini Antwerp, a partnership that resulted in a new Lamborghini Urus. Van der Poel is often seen wearing watches by Richard Mille, a brand known for its exclusivity. In addition, he is a co-founder of 4GOLD, a healthtech start-up focused on innovation in performance nutrition.

• First male cyclist to win World Championships in road, cyclocross and gravel (2024)
• Record-equalling seven-time elite Cyclocross World Champion (2015, 2019–2021, 2023–2025)
• First Dutch elite men’s Road World Champion since 1985 (Glasgow, 2023)
• Only active rider with Monument wins in San Remo, Flanders and Roubaix

Van der Poel’s trajectory shows no signs of slowing down. He is under contract with Alpecin–Deceuninck through 2028, reflecting the team’s confidence that his prime years are still ahead. In interviews, Mathieu has expressed that he’s “still hungry for more” despite all he’s won. Fans can expect him to continue his unique multi-discipline program in the coming seasons - splitting time between spring Classics, select stage races, and off-road goals. One ambition that remains unfulfilled is an Olympic gold medal. After a disappointment in the mountain bike event at Tokyo 2020, van der Poel hinted that the Olympics were still on his radar; Paris 2024 saw him switch focus to the road race (where he finished 12th), so a shot at redemption could come in Los Angeles 2028, possibly on the mountain bike where he first dreamed of Olympic glory.