Mathieu van der Poel maintains his unbeaten streak in the World Cup in Namur

The predictions were fulfilled in the Namur race, the fourth event of the 2025/26 Cyclocross World Cup. First, an unstoppable Lucinda Brand, and then, facing more difficulties after encountering a fantastic Thibau Nys, Mathieu van der Poel continues to maintain an unbeaten streak that has lasted since Wout van Aert defeated him in Benidorm in January 2024.

Van der Poel has to sweat to win in Namur against a fantastic Thibau Nys

Mathieu van der Poel does not fail in his return to the Cyclocross World Cup after debuting on a circuit where he has traditionally struggled to win. It was no different this time as he had to fight tooth and nail with Lars van der Haar, Michael Vanthourenhout, and especially against a Thibau Nys who continues to improve day by day.

RECOMENDADO

Blood Flow Restriction Training: promises, evidence, and doubts of the new trend

10 professional cyclists fined in Calpe for running a red light

What happens if you skip the diet during the holidays?

Lamborghini, Christmas tree, and new bike: Van der Poel is ready to start

Mini-hook tires: why they are coming to the WorldTour and what it means for the cyclist

Benidorm wants the Cyclocross World Championship

Van der Poel started from the third row of the starting grid, which forced him to be patient in the initial part where some bottlenecks occurred. The Dutchman did not get nervous, waiting until the final stretch of the lap to, in the famous uphill cobblestone section that is usually one of the key points of this circuit, suddenly ascend with astonishing ease to third place.

The toughness of the Namur course began to select the race until, midway through the event, the aforementioned quartet remained at the front with Van der Haar, Vanthourenhout, Nys, and Van der Poel himself, all of them trying at some point to break away but without success. However, it was clear that Van der Poel and Nys seemed to be the strongest, and already in the penultimate lap, they were the ones who stood out, with continuous attacks between them but without managing to shake off the rival. This led to a pause that allowed Vanthourenhout and Van der Haar to catch up at the start of the last lap, giving them an extra chance to contest the race.

It was barely an illusion for them as Van der Poel began to increase the pace from the start of the lap, and the situation repeated itself: Thibau Nys on his wheel until, at the exit of a curve, the Belgian got his wheel stuck in a place with hardly any difficulty, a silly and unacceptable mistake as Nys acknowledged in post-race statements, and obviously, Van der Poel did not miss the opportunity and opened a gap in the curvy section towards the cobblestones where he accelerated definitively to consolidate a few seconds that, in the end, were decisive for the Dutchman to continue adding victories in cyclocross races on a day when he showed he was human.

Namur Cyclocross World Cup Standings – Men's Elite

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 58'29''
2. Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) +09''
3. Michael Vanthourenhout (Puwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) +11''
4. Lars van der Haar (Baloise Glowi Lions) +12''
5. Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) +42''
6. Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +53''
7. Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions) +55''
8. Joris Nieuwnhuis (Ridley Racing Team) +57''
9. Witse Meeussen (Crelan-Corendon) +1'14''
10. Toon Vandebosch (Crelan-Corendon) +1'29''

Lucinda Brand unstoppable in Namur

The Dutchwoman Lucinda Brand continues to prove that age is just a number. At 36 years old, she is completing what may be one of her best seasons, as demonstrated by her solid performance on the Namur circuit, which is perhaps the toughest course in the World Cup.

The race started very violently with the French Amandine Fouquenet trying to surprise from the very beginning after her excellent race just 7 days ago that led her to finish second in the Cerdanya event. The Frenchwoman maintained her pace throughout the first lap until, in the final part of it, Lucinda Brand managed to close the gap and, without thinking twice, launched a change of pace that allowed her to open a gap at the front that would be definitive.

There were changes in the top positions during the first laps, with Puck Pieterse, who was starting her season today, trying to catch up to her compatriot after a poor start, along with another mountain biker, Jolanda Neff, who announced a few days ago her intention to pay more attention to cyclocross, climbing from the back of the grid to Pieterse's level.

However, both of them began to feel the weight of the season's start on such a tough circuit as Namur, and they started to fall back while, in second place, Aniek van Alphen consolidated her position, looking to defend the World Cup leader's jersey that she achieved after winning in Flamanville, taking advantage of Brand's absence.

Despite her explosive start, Amandine Fouquenet did not deflate, managing to surpass Pieterse and secure a new podium position in the last laps, which begins to consolidate the current French Champion among the best cyclocross riders in the current scene.

Puck Pieterse had to settle for the always bittersweet 4th place while Jolanda Neff closed the Top 5 after a remarkable debut in which she was able to take advantage of her great technique on such a technical course as Namur.

Namur Cyclocross World Cup Standings – Women's Elite

1. Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 52'23''
2. Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +43''
3. Amandine Fouquenet +1'00''
4. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1'21''
5. Jolanda Neff +1'42''
6. Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) +2'07''
7. Kristyna Zemanová +2'16''
8. Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) +2'23''
9. Amandine Muller (As Bike Racing-France Lieterie) +2'34''
10. Célia Gery (As Bike Racing-France Lieterie) +2'43''