Overview

• Mathieu van der Poel secured his seventh elite cyclo-cross world championship title in Liévin, matching the record set by Eric de Vlaeminck in the 1960s and 70s.
• Van der Poel took an early lead on the challenging course, employing a strategy to distance himself from competitors immediately, despite a brief setback with a tire puncture.
• Belgium's Wout Van Aert, starting from the fourth row and recovering from multiple falls, claimed silver, finishing 45 seconds behind Van der Poel.
• Thibau Nys, also from Belgium, completed the podium, while France’s top finishers, Fabien Doubey and Clément Venturini, placed 15th and 17th respectively.
• Van der Poel described the victory as 'very special,' reflecting on his long-held dream of equaling the record and hinting at future ambitions in the sport.