Mathieu van der Poel: Five key facts about the versatile Dutch cyclist and new road race world champion
The reigning road race world champion, who also boasts five cyclo-cross world titles, has already conquered three of cycling’s five Monument one-day classics. Will he go on to win them all? Here are five essential facts about the Dutch superstar.
Mathieu van der Poel is currently one of the most talked-about athletes in cycling.
His dominant 15km solo victory at Paris-Roubaix in April placed him in elite company, becoming one of the few to win two Monuments in a single season—after also taking Milano–Sanremo in March.
Now, following a thrilling ride in Glasgow on 6 August 2023, he is the road race world champion.
So who is Mathieu van der Poel? The 28-year-old has gained recognition not only in road racing but across multiple cycling formats. While his career includes some controversies, they’ve helped shape him into one of the most complete riders in the sport.
Here are five things you should know about the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider:
1. A legacy of cycling champions
It’s little wonder Van der Poel became an exceptional cyclist—his family is steeped in cycling history.
His father, Adrie van der Poel, won two Tour de France stages and two Monument titles: the Tour of Flanders in 1986 and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1988. Mathieu matched his father’s Flanders success in both 2020 and 2022.
On his mother’s side, he’s the grandson of French legend Raymond Poulidor—known affectionately as ‘Pou-Pou’—who not only won stages at the Tour de France but also stood on the overall podium three times. Poulidor’s achievements include titles at the Vuelta a España, Critérium du Dauphiné (twice), and Paris–Nice (twice), plus a Milano–Sanremo win in 1961—replicated by Van der Poel in 2023.
2. Chasing a Monument grand slam
Van der Poel has secured three of cycling’s five Monument classics: Sanremo (2023), Flanders (2020 and 2022), and Roubaix (2023).
His double victory in Sanremo and Roubaix this year places him among just 25 riders to win two Monuments in one season. Even fewer—only four—have claimed both Sanremo and Roubaix in the same year. He joins Cyrille van Hauwaert (1908), Sean Kelly (1986), and John Degenkolb (2015) in that exclusive group.
He has yet to conquer Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Il Lombardia—races in which his father and grandfather each had podium finishes. Despite racing each only once, Van der Poel placed a respectable sixth in Liège and 10th in Lombardia in 2020.
Though he skipped Liège this season to focus on summer stage races, he may still aim to become only the fourth rider ever to win all five Monuments.
3. A multi-discipline powerhouse
Van der Poel is one of the new breed of riders excelling across various cycling disciplines.
He started out in cyclo-cross, collecting numerous wins and five world titles. Even while focusing on road racing, he continues to compete in cyclo-cross during winter.
In mountain biking, he was European champion in 2019, a world bronze medalist in 2018, and represented the Netherlands at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.
More recently, he took part in the first UCI Gravel World Championships in 2023, winning bronze. Gravel racing combines elements of off-road and long-distance road racing.
Despite his success, Van der Poel has admitted that juggling all these disciplines may be detrimental. “When I skip cyclo-cross, I get better road preparation,” he said, though he couldn’t pass up the chance to race at the 2023 Cyclo-cross Worlds in Hoogerheide.
Still, his “best classic season ever” suggests he’s managing just fine.
4. A long-standing rivalry with Wout van Aert
Van der Poel’s competitive relationship with Belgium’s Wout van Aert goes back to their junior cyclo-cross days.
Born just months apart, they’ve battled through the ranks of both cyclo-cross and road racing. While there have been heated moments—like disputes in 2016 and 2017 cyclo-cross events and a road clash at 2020’s Gent-Wevelgem—their rivalry has matured into one of mutual respect.
After besting Van Aert in a sprint finish at the 2023 Cyclo-cross Worlds, Van der Poel acknowledged the importance of their rivalry: “Take one of us away, and the race loses something special.”
Though Van Aert was an early road contender, Van der Poel leads in major titles, including four Monument wins to Van Aert’s one.
Others are now joining the mix, such as Tom Pidcock in cyclo-cross and Tadej Pogacar in one-day road classics.
5. Overcoming a tough 2022
Despite his accolades, Van der Poel faced significant setbacks in 2022.
His Tokyo 2020 mountain bike campaign ended in disaster when a course ramp—removed before the race—caused him to crash and suffer a lingering back injury.
That injury impacted his 2022 season, limiting his cyclo-cross schedule. Still, he managed a notable Flanders win.
The low point came at the Road World Championships in Australia. A hotel incident involving two prank-playing teens led to his arrest and an assault charge—later overturned on appeal. Sleep-deprived and unsettled, he abandoned the race just 30km in.
While the episode was a blow, it seemed to ignite his drive. In 2023, he bounced back to claim the world road race title—perhaps laying those demons to rest once and for all.
