For more than a decade, the cyclo-cross season has revolved around one question: what will Mathieu van der Poel do? This winter, nobody seems to have the answer — not even his own family. With the UCI World Cup series set to begin in roughly two weeks, the eight-time world champion still hasn’t confirmed whether he will race ‘cross at all, and the uncertainty is reshaping the entire off-road calendar.
What Happened
Gerben de Knegt, the Dutch national coach for cyclo-cross and mountain bike, admitted this week that he genuinely does not know if Van der Poel will line up this season. Speaking on the Live Slow Ride Fast podcast hosted by fellow Dutchmen Laurens ten Dam and Stefan Bolt, and reported by Cyclingnews, De Knegt said he had even asked Van der Poel’s father, Adrie, for insight — and come up empty.
“I’m curious too,” De Knegt said. “I’ve even asked Adrie about it, but he doesn’t know either.” Bolt summed up the situation with a laugh, noting that people interview Adrie “as if he has some special insight into Mathieu’s life” — when in reality, Van der Poel’s inner circle is as much in the dark as everyone else.
The timing is the key factor. Van der Poel is due to become a father in January, the same month as the World Championships, which take place in Oostende right at the end of January 2027. De Knegt framed that as a decisive consideration: “Given that he’s going to be a dad around January, this is actually the ideal winter to skip it.” He also poured cold water on the idea of a one-off appearance just for Worlds, saying it has never really been an option because the team has always preferred a proper block of racing.
Van der Poel himself has hinted at exactly this. After collecting his eighth rainbow jersey last February, he said skipping a winter was “not a bad idea,” explaining that the demands of peaking for ‘cross are as much mental as physical: “90% is not enough… to be at the start line.” With the World Cup opening in Ostrava on 27 November and Tábor two days later, a decision can’t be far away.
Why It Matters
Van der Poel doesn’t just win cyclo-cross races — he changes the way they’re ridden and the size of the audience watching. A winter without him removes the sport’s biggest global draw and throws the hierarchy wide open. It would also hand a golden opportunity to the next generation of stars who have spent years racing in his shadow.
Chief among them is Thibau Nys, who recently claimed his second elite European title and has openly spoken about chasing Van der Poel’s level of dominance. You can read our look at the 2026 Cyclo-cross European Championships and whether anyone can beat Nys for the full picture of who stands to benefit. The season is already producing drama without the Dutchman, too — Britain’s Cameron Mason just took the biggest win of his career, as we covered in Cameron Mason’s first Superprestige victory in the Niel mud.
There’s a second layer to the intrigue: Wout van Aert, Van der Poel’s long-time rival, is also non-committal about a cyclo-cross campaign this winter. If both superstars sit out, 2026-27 could be the first season in years defined by a genuinely open field rather than a two-man duel — a prospect that excites emerging riders and worries race organisers who rely on marquee names to sell tickets and TV deals.
What This Means For You
If you’re a fan, the practical takeaway is simple: don’t wait for a Van der Poel announcement to start following the season. The World Cup rounds in Ostrava and Tábor, plus the Superprestige and X2O Trofee series, are must-watch regardless, and an uncertain top of the start list often makes for more unpredictable, exciting racing.
If you’re a rider, Van der Poel’s dilemma is actually a useful reminder of what cyclo-cross is for. Even the greatest off-road racer in the world treats ‘cross as a hard, focused winter block — short, maximal efforts that sharpen fitness and bike-handling before the road season. You don’t need a race licence to borrow that logic. Mixing high-intensity work into the dark months keeps your engine ticking over; our guide to anaerobic capacity intervals breaks down exactly the kind of short, punchy sessions that mimic the repeated surges of a ‘cross lap. Add some off-road skills practice — dismounts, remounts, cornering in the mud — and you’ll arrive at spring fitter and more capable, whether or not the pros show up in Belgium.
Key Takeaways
- Mathieu van der Poel has not committed to racing cyclo-cross this winter, and his national coach Gerben de Knegt says even the rider’s father doesn’t know his plans.
- Van der Poel is due to become a father in January — the same month as the World Championships in Oostende — which his coach calls a reason this may be the “ideal winter to skip it.”
- A one-off ride at Worlds has been ruled out as impractical; the UCI World Cup opens in Ostrava on 27 November.
- His absence would open the door for Thibau Nys and others, with rival Wout van Aert also undecided about his own ‘cross season.
- For amateurs, cyclo-cross-style winter blocks — short, maximal intervals plus skills work — are worth copying no matter who’s racing.
