Sven Nys on Van der Poel's future: "After 2028 Games, it's time for crucial considerations"

The past few weeks have seen much said and written about the future of eight-time world champion Mathieu van der Poel. Will he take a sabbatical as a cyclocross rider? And what will the coming years look like for the Dutchman in general? Sven Nys sees the upcoming 2028 Olympic Summer Games as an important benchmark.

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, Nys, Niels Albert, and Erwin Vervecken briefly reflect on Mathieu van der Poel’s future. The eight-time world cyclocross champion is still ‘only’ 31 years old but has already been racing at a top level for a very long time.

"I don’t see him racing until he’s 35 either. By then, he will have been competing at the very highest level for 16 or 17 years," Albert states.

Crucial considerations
"I think LA ‘28 is a milestone that Alpecin-Premier Tech is working toward with him," Nys points out. That year is when Van der Poel’s contract expires. "After that, it will be time for some crucial considerations. ‘How much longer do I really want to do this? Is it still worth all the sacrifices? Or would I rather be standing on a golf course from now on?" laughs the Belgian former top cyclocross rider.

"He could also re-sign by then. I see him stopping when he feels on the road that ‘I just can’t do this anymore.’ He will never ride an extra year too many," Albert believes. "To work as a domestique for Tibor Del Grosso? No, he’s not going to do that."