Mathieu van der Poel once again rewrote cyclocross history at the 2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, delivering a commanding victory ahead of Tibor del Grosso and Thibau Nys. The trio raced in a class of their own, leaving the rest of the field battling for best of the rest—an honor that ultimately went to Joris Nieuwenhuis with a strong but bittersweet fourth place.
While the podium places were clearly out of reach on the day, Nieuwenhuis left the race convinced that, under slightly different circumstances, a World Championship medal was possible.
Nieuwenhuis Reflects on Missed Opportunity
“To be honest, I felt there was more in it,” Nieuwenhuis admitted in an interview with Wieler Revue. “I had a bad start and struggled with my back. Physically, I felt good, but it didn’t really show.”
The 29-year-old explained that although his back issues were no longer debilitating—as they had been earlier in the season—they still limited his ability to truly dig deep. “Earlier this year, my back completely stopped me from moving forward. Now I was able to finish fourth. That’s progress, but you’re still held back a bit.”
His late-race sprint highlighted what might have been possible on a better day.
Van der Poel Sets an Untouchable Early Pace
The race effectively split apart on the opening lap, as Van der Poel unleashed a relentless tempo that only Del Grosso and Nys could follow. Behind them, Nieuwenhuis and the rest of the chasing group opted for a more measured approach—a decision that proved costly.
As the race wore on, the gap to the podium only grew.
“In hindsight, we paid for that,” Nieuwenhuis admitted. “They were simply out of reach in the second half of the race.”
Despite the result, Nieuwenhuis remains convinced that a medal was realistic under different conditions. “I just didn’t have it on the day. I also think I’m past my peak form. I’ve had a very busy period, and changing teams took a lot of energy.”
Living in the Shadow of a Generational Talent
Just one year younger than Van der Poel, Nieuwenhuis has spent much of his career racing in the shadow of his dominant compatriot. While that has limited his own palmarès, it has also given him a unique perspective on Van der Poel’s sustained greatness.
“I’ve always seen Mathieu win,” Nieuwenhuis said. “As a novice, junior, U23, elite—at some point you start to think that’s normal. But what he’s doing is obviously not normal. It’s truly bizarre. He’s a living legend.”
Among cyclocross riders, Van der Poel’s dominance has almost become routine. Yet, as Nieuwenhuis points out, no one has been able to consistently challenge him—perhaps with the occasional exception of a fully fit Wout van Aert.
Why No One Can Stop Van der Poel
“He shows up, and we all know how it’s going to go—and then it goes exactly like that,” Nieuwenhuis explained. “Anything can happen in cyclocross, but somehow it never does with him. He even seems to have that under control.”
Nieuwenhuis also speculated about what continues to motivate the world champion. While Van der Poel has often downplayed personal records, Nieuwenhuis believes history still matters to him.
“He says he’s not interested in lists, but I think this really resonates with him. This is something for history.”
A Record That Defines an Era
With his 2026 victory, Mathieu van der Poel claimed his eighth cyclocross world title, officially surpassing Eric De Vlaeminck, the 1970s icon who held the record as the sport’s greatest for more than half a century.
And few would be surprised if Van der Poel isn’t done yet. With his dominance undimmed, the idea of reaching ten rainbow jerseys no longer sounds far-fetched—it sounds inevitable.
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