‘If he went any faster on that course, he’d start knocking the poles out of the ground’ – Wout van Aert hails leading Cyclo-cross World Championships favourite Mathieu van der Poel

The 2026 Cyclo-cross World Championships are already in full swing in the Netherlands and Belgian Wout van Aert has praised leading elite men’s race favourite Mathieu van der Poel as ‘Without a doubt, the best cyclo-cross rider ever.’

Himself a multiple former cyclo-cross World Champion and considered one of Van der Poel’s top rivals, Van Aert will not be taking part in this year’s battle for the rainbow jersey, with an ankle injury curtailing his cyclo-cross program and any remote chance that he would have done.