**Top Cyclocrossers Often Not Taken Seriously Because of the Mathieu van der Poel Phenomenon: “Are We Going to Make Losers of the Opposition on the Road Too?”**
In the world of elite cycling, cyclocross has long been the rugged, muddy cousin of the road racing aristocracy. With its frantic pace, short circuits, and technical brutality, it has cultivated champions forged through resilience, agility, and an unrivaled anaerobic engine. Yet, despite the sport’s raw appeal and the sheer talent it requires, many of its top athletes still struggle for recognition—largely overshadowed by a singular, almost mythic figure: Mathieu van der Poel.
This Dutch superstar, a multiple-time world champion in cyclocross, has achieved a level of dominance so overwhelming that it has inadvertently skewed perceptions of the entire discipline. His success across all forms of cycling—from cyclocross to road racing and even mountain biking—has led to a dangerous generalization: if Van der Poel can transcend disciplines with ease, does it mean the rest of the cyclocross elite should as well? And if they don’t, are they somehow “lesser” athletes?
It’s a narrative that is not only unfair but also intellectually lazy.
**The Mathieu van der Poel Effect**
Mathieu van der Poel is, undeniably, a generational talent. His ability to win on the road—at Monuments like the Tour of Flanders, Milan-San Remo, and Paris-Roubaix—as well as dominate in cyclocross and even the mountain bike cross-country scene, makes him one of the most versatile and explosive riders in the history of the sport.
However, Van der Poel is an anomaly, not a benchmark. His unique physiology, racing intelligence, and upbringing (he is the son of legendary Dutch cyclist Adri van der Poel and the grandson of French cycling great Raymond Poulidor) positioned him in an extremely rare athletic lineage. His achievements should be celebrated—but not used as a yardstick to measure every other cyclocross rider.
And yet, the sport’s perception seems to have tilted dramatically. Cyclocross riders who dominate the mud are often now asked: “Why can’t you be like Van der Poel on the road?” As if being among the best in the world in cyclocross somehow isn’t enough. It’s a sentiment echoed by fans, commentators, and, more worryingly, even some team managers.
**The Rise—and Disrespect—of the Cyclocross Elite**
Cyclocross produces some of the most complete athletes in cycling. Riders like Eli Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout, Lars van der Haar, and Fem van Empel train relentlessly for an intense season that spans winter’s harshest months. They hone a skill set that road racing barely demands: dismounting and remounting at high speeds, navigating ice-slick corners, bunny-hopping obstacles, and maintaining threshold power in anaerobic bursts.
These are not “niche” athletes. They are specialists in a discipline as demanding as any. But because most of them don’t transition to road cycling with the same seamless grace as Van der Poel—or his rival Wout van Aert, another cross-over star—their reputations are diminished.
The implication becomes: “If you’re so good in cyclocross, why aren’t you placing top ten in road races?” It’s an absurd question. It ignores the specifics of training, physiological differences, and even team infrastructure. Cyclocross is not a stepping stone—it is a discipline in its own right.
As Belgian rider Eli Iserbyt remarked in a 2024 interview, “We work just as hard, sometimes harder, but we are seen as specialists instead of cyclists. People forget cyclocross is a World Cup sport too.” The irony is thick: Iserbyt has won multiple World Cups, yet is frequently asked when he’ll “move up” to the road.
**Are We Going to Make Losers of Road Riders Too?**
The real danger in this flawed comparison is the precedent it sets. If Van der Poel sets the standard for cyclocrossers, does that mean road riders who *don’t* win in cyclocross are also underachieving? Are we going to start looking at road pros and saying, “Well, why can’t you hop barriers and remount at 30 kph like Mathieu?”
Of course not. That would be equally ridiculous.
Van der Poel is a rare athlete who can bridge these gaps. But most riders focus their entire careers on mastering one discipline. Tadej Pogačar, for example, has yet to make an impact in cyclocross. Does that make him less of a cyclist? Hardly. The same applies in reverse.
By elevating Van der Poel to an archetype rather than an outlier, the cycling community risks diminishing the efforts of dozens of elite athletes who excel in their own right.
**Media and Market Forces**
Media narratives often exacerbate this issue. Sponsors and broadcasters naturally gravitate toward figures who generate clicks and headlines. Van der Poel does exactly that—his flair, panache, and unpredictable racing style make him a marketing dream.
But that star power casts a long shadow. Cyclocross races featuring Van der Poel draw exponentially larger audiences. When he sits out the season, viewer numbers dip, coverage shrinks, and by extension, the visibility of other riders suffers.
This is a systemic problem. The sport must do more to highlight the depth of its field, rather than placing all its bets on a handful of crossover stars. More storytelling, more profiling of different athletes, more focus on the nuances of cyclocross itself—not just on who might make it on the road.
**Conclusion: Respect the Discipline**
Cyclocross is a sport of specialists. It demands respect not because some of its stars have made it big in road racing, but because it produces some of the most technically skilled, resilient, and exciting riders in the world.
Mathieu van der Poel is extraordinary. But that does not make those who compete in his shadow any less deserving of recognition. Comparing every rider to him undermines not only the athletes themselves, but the sport as a whole.
Cycling fans—and its institutions—must learn to appreciate excellence in context. Cyclocross is not a proving ground for road racing. It is a sport that stands tall on its own. And the riders who dedicate their careers to it deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated accordingly.
