Wout van Aert v. Mathieu van der Poel - a truly rare and iconic sporting rivalry

As the duo continue to trade blows on the biggest of stages, their rivalry will go down in history as one of cycle racings greatest

Mathieu van der Poel
(Image credit: Getty Images)

As the sun set on the mud and grime of Hoogerheide and Mathieu van der Poel pulled on the rainbow jersey as male elite cyclo-cross World Champion, so ended another chapter of the engrossing saga of his rivalry with Wout van Aert. A rivalry that has now brought us so many edge of your seat moments, including the Tour of Flanders in 2020 and now a battle down to the wire in the Netherlands.

“I think if you take one of us two away, then it makes the race less interesting for sure,” said Van der Poel after receiving his rainbow jersey. “After our career it will be something special to look back on.”

Van der Poel is exactly right. Not only will it be something special for him to reflect back on when he's sat in a café somewhere sipping an espresso, it’s also a once in a generation opportunity for us watching on at home to enjoy one of the great sporting rivalries that are few and far between.

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Tom Thewlis

Tom joined Cycling Weekly in early 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 


He has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest events and races including the Tour de France and the recent Glasgow World Championships. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world and interviewed some of the biggest stars in the sport including Tom Pidcock, Wout van Aert, Primož Roglič and Lizzie Deignan. 


When not writing news scoops from the WorldTour, or covering stories from elsewhere in the domestic professional scene, he reports on goings on at bike shops up and down the UK, where he is based when not out on the road at races. He has also appeared on the Radio Cycling podcast.