Dutch cycling star Mathieu van der Poel set a new record as he won his eighth world cyclo-cross title at Hulst in the Netherlands.
The 31-year-old beat compatriot Tibor del Grosso by 35 seconds to move past the seven titles won by Belgian Eric de Vlaeminck in the 1960s and 70s.
It was a fourth-consecutive win for Van der Poel, who also triumphed in 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and he has already secured this season’s World Cup title after finishing first in all eight races he entered.
“When I started, my absolute dream was to one day win the world championships at the elite level. And here I am with eight titles. It’s simply extraordinary,” he said.
Over his career he has also won world titles in gravel bicycle racing and road racing and has two Tour de France stage wins – both of which earned him the race’s yellow jersey.
In March he will try to win a third Milan-San Remo before in April going after a record-breaking fourth Tour of Flanders success and a record-equalling fourth crown at Paris-Roubaix.
In Saturday’s women’s race, Lucinda Brand led home a one-two-three for the Netherlands.
Brand, who also triumphed in 2021, recovered from a late fall to finish strongly and beat her compatriots Ceylin Alvarado and Puck Pieterse.
