When you’re aiming for a third straight Paris-Roubaix victory and have conquered nearly every major spring Classic cobbled, Ardennes, and Italian except two (finishing second at Gent-Wevelgem and third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2024), what else is left to achieve? You’ve already settled the debate over who reigns supreme between you and your greatest rival, boasting six Monuments to his one and nine world titles to his three. You’ve worn the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, cemented your GOAT status in cyclo-cross by dominating for a decade, and even taken over gravel racing, as if cycling itself belongs to you. So, how do you elevate your legacy?
Mathieu van der Poel has the answer because he always does. “In the end, there will always be gaps you want to fill,” he says, six weeks into his 2025 season, where he has already won all eight of his races. For him, the missing piece isn’t on the road, in cyclo-cross, or gravel it’s mountain biking. Despite his love for the discipline, it has yet to reward his efforts, punishing him instead for his commitment to other forms of racing. Now, in 2025, he hopes to finally claim a mountain bike world title and become a world champion in a fourth discipline. “I’ve said it before: mountain biking is something I want to check off. It’s a race I really want to win. Beyond that, nothing else matters much to me,” he says.
Be the first to comment