Cancellara admires Van der Poel, but also stands up for Van Aert: "I know the situation and was glad to see that"
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Follow us on GoogleFabian Cancellara watched as Mathieu van der Poel drew level with him on the all-time wins list at Paris-Roubaix. The Dutchman claimed his third victory on the Roubaix velodrome, matching the total of the Swiss powerhouse. Cancellara, now a team manager at Tudor Pro Cycling, had a front-row seat and spoke to Sporza about what he saw during the race.
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“Mathieu was the deserved winner. That crash from Tadej Pogacar was unfortunate, but Van der Poel still showed he was the strongest in the end. He’ll have to pay for the dinner now for the triple or multiple winners,” joked the former Swiss pro.
“There’s definitely a chance he becomes the sole record holder. Although it’s getting harder with the new generation coming up, Mathieu is still the rider of the moment. He is the rightful king of the classics. All I can say is ‘chapeau,’” Cancellara added.
He also appreciated the fighting spirit of Wout van Aert. “Even more than Pogacar or Van der Poel, who were once again doing their usual business, I was focused on Wout. The whole country is watching him and has huge expectations, but I was happy to see he was still up front at the end. I know the situation and thought it was great to see that he keeps trying and never gives up,” he said.
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Van Avermaet advises Van Aert: "Try to race more old-school"
Greg Van Avermaet, also a former winner of the Hell of the North, shared his thoughts on Wout van Aert during the Wuyts & Vlaeminck podcast. "Unfortunately, Wout had to respond too often. In my opinion, he was actually better in the Tour of Flanders than in Paris-Roubaix, which everyone expected to be the other way around."
Van Avermaet believes his fellow Belgian could approach things differently. "I would try to race more old-school. Van der Poel and Pogacar didn’t really go on altitude training camps, and you can see that it’s still possible to be in great shape without one. That kind of preparation could suit Van Aert as well—he’d be closer to his wife and kids, and it would be mentally less taxing."
"If you then pick the right races where you can immediately get a result, you can go into the Flemish classics without too much pressure. And that works in his favor."
By the way, Van Aert is still set to race the Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Fair enough if he skips cross this winter. With a newborn on the way, there’s no need to rush back into racing.davidm15-11-2026
- Is “Ovett” Mathieu’s friend who joined him on the training rides? The article mentions him a few times, but I’m not familiar with the name.sprocketspiny15-11-2026
- Eight world titles and now a new chapter off the bike. Hope everything goes smoothly for them!raceready715-11-2026
- Huge news for the world champion. With the baby due in January, I can see why Mathieu’s cyclocross plans are still up in the air—family comes first.jennifer1915-11-2026
- Congratulations to Mathieu and Roxanne! A Costa Blanca proposal after all those training miles sounds pretty special.michael5415-11-2026
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026