‘I’m certainly not at my best yet’ – Mathieu van der Poel heads to Spain after going nine from nine in cyclo-cross, but the big goals are still to come.

With most of his cyclo-cross campaign now behind him and emphatically controlled, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Premier Tech) is heading to Spain to prepare for both the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hulst on February 1 and the upcoming Spring Classics on the road.

After a spectacular return to racing in Namur on December 14, Van der Poel delivered one dominant performance after another through the Christmas period, winning nine consecutive races and underlining his status as the clear favourite to claim an unprecedented eighth cyclo-cross world title next month. He is unlikely to compete again off-road until the World Cup round in Maasmechelen on January 24, which will mark the final phase of his build-up to Worlds, although the Benidorm World Cup a week earlier remains a possible addition.

A victory in Hulst would see Van der Poel stand alone atop the men’s elite record books, having equalled Erik De Vlaeminck’s long-standing tally last year in Liévin. Speaking to Wielerflits after the Zonhoven World Cup, he explained that the Spanish camp offers a welcome change of scenery after an intense block of racing.

“It’s nice to step away from the constant rhythm of training for a while and enjoy the sun again,” he said. “After such a busy cyclo-cross period, you need those extra hours. My main focus is still the World Championships in Hulst, so I’ll keep sharpening things with interval sessions to be at my best and go for the rainbow jersey.”

In the background, injury prevention is also a major consideration, particularly after long-time rival Wout van Aert fractured his ankle in a crash at Mol and was forced to end his cyclo-cross season. Van der Poel expressed sympathy for Van Aert, recalling his own rib injury during last year’s campaign.

“It really affected me subconsciously during races. What happened to Wout is awful,” Van der Poel said. “He’s already dealt with so much bad luck. You never want to see that happen to anyone, and hopefully it doesn’t disrupt his road preparations. Every crash, no matter how harmless it looks, can have serious consequences. I know that all too well.”

While the pursuit of an eighth world title remains front of mind, Van der Poel is already looking ahead to the Spring Classics. In Spain, his programme will also include significant endurance work as he targets defending his titles at Milan–San Remo and Paris–Roubaix, while attempting to reclaim the Tour of Flanders from Tadej Pogačar.

“There will be plenty of long hours, balanced with proper recovery,” he said. “The Christmas period went well, even if I’m not quite at my peak yet. I actually felt stronger at this stage last year, but I’m satisfied. Compared to last winter, when I was dealing with a broken rib, I’m leaving for Spain with a much better feeling and can be happy with how the recent races unfolded.”