“Quite intimidating,” smiles silver medalist Tibor Del Grosso after his “cool first World Championship among the pros” in Hulst
Cyclocross
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Follow us on GoogleWinning silver at your first World Championships in the elite category is no mean feat. Tibor Del Grosso, 23, managed to do just that on Sunday in Hulst. After a thrilling duel with his Belgian counterpart Thibau Nys, the man from Eelde came out on top and took his place on the podium next to his compatriot Mathieu van der Poel.
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“Quite intimidating,” Del Grosso grins as he sits down opposite the European press in Hulst. Que? “Sitting here, with about twenty people looking at you, is always a bit intimidating. Can I get used to it? It was a cool first World Championship among the pros, that's for sure.”
Del Grosso says he started the race without a specific plan. “The plan was mainly to get off to a good start, because so much can happen in CX. That makes it difficult to plan, but because it was difficult to overtake here, getting off to a good start was definitely important.”
Continue reading below the photo!
Tibor Del Grosso during his press conference after the cyclocross World Cup
Del Grosso enjoyed World Championship
The Dutchman certainly succeeded. He took the lead and immediately got Van der Poel and Nys to follow him. “I was happy that the three of us were able to break away right away, which made it a lot easier.” Van der Poel then pulled away, leaving Del Grosso and Nys to battle it out for silver.
“It was a great battle and I think the crowd enjoyed it too. We pushed each other to our limits, which made it even more worthwhile. I have to say that I really enjoyed it myself, my first World Championship on Sunday afternoon. It was a bit different from an average World Cup, haha.”
The Drenthe native was helped a little by the weather in Zeeland, as it suddenly started pouring with rain. "Thibau was riding on a slightly lower profile, so he had a harder time when it got slippery. I was able to take advantage of that. Thibau made some mistakes and that ultimately decided the race,“ said Del Grosso. ”It went back and forth, because there were sections where Thibau was better and vice versa."
Del Grosso was understandably proud to end his first winter with the pros with a silver medal, but also with other achievements. “It's awesome that I was able to take this step. I would also like to become world champion one day. Mathieu showed once again that he is the best cyclo-cross rider of all time, and it's also impressive to see that when you're riding in his slipstream. His strength, technique, and position... that's unmatched.”
Read on below the video!
Del Grosso focuses on road season
Del Grosso now also has the road season ahead of him. “I'm going to rest for a while and then prepare for the road. I'll start sometime in March, but I don't know my full calendar yet. However, it makes sense that I try to do well in the classics.”
The youngster has long been compared to Van der Poel. “That's a compliment, but it's not really a fair comparison. It's perhaps even a little unfair, because comparing me to Mathieu can only lead to disappointment. Mathieu is Mathieu.”
And Tibor is Tibor.
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026
