Cyclo-cross legend Sven Nys has called current world champion Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) the ‘very best rider ever’ in the discipline, after the Dutchman matched his record of 50 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup wins on Saturday.
Van der Poel added the accolade to his growing collection after a gruelling round of the World Cup in Maasmechelen, where even two punctures during the race couldn't prevent him from taking his 11th win of the season – maintaining his flawless run.
When Nys set the record a decade ago, it almost seemed untouchable, but now, the Dutch star has the chance to break that record in front of his home crowd at Hoogerheide on Sunday – an event his father Adrie van der Poel organises – with a 51st victory.
Van der Poel will then aim for a record-breaking eighth elite cyclo-cross world championship crown in Hulst next weekend, having matched the long-standing best set of seven by Eric de Vlaeminck in the late 60s and early 70s last year.
The Dutchman has hinted at a possible cyclo-cross retirement to focus on his road goals, and many believe that holding both records might encourage Van der Poel to do so.
With his son Thibau also continuing to rise to the upper echelons of the cyclo-cross international circuit, Nys is in no doubt that Van der Poel is the greatest CX rider of all time.
"It’s an honour that I was able to win 50 [cyclo-cross World Cups] and the record has held out for 10 years," Nys told Sporza.
"It's a very nice name that's going to break that record this weekend. It is simple, he is the very best cyclo-cross rider who has ever ridden around the fields. So I'm going to enjoy it extra today."
Nys devoted his career to cyclo-cross racing, winning two world titles and a staggering 276 race wins. However, he says that he was unable to have a multi-discipline calendar, as Van der Poel has, combining cyclo-cross, road racing, mountain biking and gravel all at the highest-level.
"I did what I could with all my talents and flaws," added Belgian icon Nys.
"I am also very satisfied with it. Every generation has its champions. And today we see beautiful athletes riding around there in different disciplines.
"I could never do that. In 'cross I was able to stand my ground, but what is riding around here today is of a very high level."
Adored by the Belgian public, Nys had an emotional retirement in 2016 at the age of 37. His last World Cup win came a year earlier in the sand at Koksijde, when he fittingly beat 21-year-old Wout Van Aert into second, and 20-year-old Van der Poel finished third.
"That was a very nice one, to win my 50th [World Cup] against Mathieu van der Poel and especially Wout van Aert in a direct duel," he added.
"That was a nice conclusion, with the champions who were going to arrive then. The last generation made it difficult for them to try, but that didn't work for long.
“But Mathieu was also world champion at the age of 19. It's a different career, a different attitude. It is also a different generation that may also have other ambitions in life."
Nys believes that only ‘bad luck’ can prevent Van der Poel from breaking his record at Hoogerheide on Sunday and the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hulst next weekend.
However, he isn't invincible, as mentioned, it was bad luck after all that almost dented the Dutch rider’s ambitions at Maasmechelen. A front wheel puncture, whilst leading, resulted in Van der Poel being shuffled down the leading pack and having to ride back into contention for the win.
Despite the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider also suffering a back wheel puncture on the penultimate lap, he had already powered away into the lead and survived to continue his perfect record for the season.
When asked what could stop Van der Poel? Nys could only say: "That must be a little bit of bad luck, which we don't wish for him, by the way.
"He is a rider who stands above the rest today."
