Cyclingflash
Now solo record holder: Mathieu van der Poel claims 51st World Cup win in Hoogerheide

Now solo record holder: Mathieu van der Poel claims 51st World Cup win in Hoogerheide

Mathieu van der Poel already matched Sven Nys’s all-time record in Maasmechelen on Saturday, but the world champion is now also the rider with the most wins in the World Cup. The Dutchman impressively broke away from the competition in Hoogerheide and then soloed to the 51st World Cup victory of his career.

The GP Adrie van der Poel in Hoogerheide has long been the final major event before the Cyclo-cross World Championships, and this year is no different. Exactly one week before the championship in Hulst, top favorite and dominant force Mathieu van der Poel took on his rivals one last time. In Maasmechelen, MVDP had already equaled Sven Nys’s World Cup record, and on Sunday, with a new win, he could become the sole record holder.

The World Cup in Hoogerheide often feels like a warm welcome for the cross riders. It’s a race with high intensity due to the fast nature of the course. The Brabantse Wal serves as the backdrop for the cross. Once again, the decision was made not to change the course, so the riders faced the familiar punishing sections, such as the ascending Scheldeweg, the well-known forest passage, and the staircase section ('Stairway to Heaven') just before the finish.

Van der Poel holds back, Nys makes an impression
All eyes were once again on Van der Poel, but the man in the rainbow jersey started cautiously and didn’t immediately make a move to advance. While the Dutchman observed from the second row, Thibau Nys shot off like a rocket. The Belgian champion was clearly eager for revenge after what he described as a frustrating race in Maasmechelen and took control in the first lap.

After Nys’s fast opening minutes, the pace noticeably slowed down, and the race waited for the first real acceleration from one of the top riders. Just before the start of the third lap, Tibor Del Grosso was tempted into a sharp attack. The Dutch champion opened a small gap, but soon found himself accompanied again by his compatriot and teammate Van der Poel. This was a precursor to more: a dominating attack from the cyclo-cross master.

Watch Mathieu van der Poel's attack here:

King, emperor, Van der Poel
With an impressive acceleration, Van der Poel dropped his younger teammate decisively, marking a pivotal moment in the race. As the unleashed Van der Poel pulled further away from the competition, the chasers were mostly focused on battling for the remaining podium spots. With two laps to go, Van der Poel had already built a lead of over a minute. In short, nothing could stop the (currently) seven-time world champion.

There was no contest for the victory, but the fight for second and third remained intense for a long time. Del Grosso and Nieuwenhuis made a relatively strong impression entering the ninth and final lap, but many riders were still contenders for the podium. Nys was still alert and had a gear left. On the longer climb, the Belgian decided to reveal his hand.

Exciting battle for the podium
Nys stretched the group out, but couldn’t shake Del Grosso, so it came down to a sprint on the rising Scheldeweg. Nys went first but was skillfully passed by Del Grosso and then Vandeputte, who snatched the last podium spot from his compatriot at the last moment. However, all of this played out in the shadow of Van der Poel, who had all the time to celebrate his 51st World Cup win.