Mathieu van der Poel will race the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Benidorm on January 18th, after making a late change to his programme with less than two weeks to go until the World Championships in Hulst.
Alpecin-Deceuninck confirmed the decision on Saturday, saying the reigning world champion had completed a strong week of training and felt the urge to race was “simply too great”. The team added that Van der Poel will defend his World Cup leader’s jersey in Spain.
A start that was in the original plan, then not
Benidorm was initially listed as part of Van der Poel’s remaining pre-Worlds schedule, but then was removed. The expectation had been that he would finish his build-up with the back-to-back World Cup weekend in Belgium and the Netherlands:
- January 24th: Maasmechelen World Cup
- January 25th: Hoogerheide World Cup
Those races still sit in the window before Hulst on February 1st, but the addition of Benidorm adds another high-intensity test into a period that is usually carefully rationed.
World Cup context, pressure on the lead
Van der Poel arrives in Spain with the overall World Cup lead, holding a ten-point advantage over Thibau Nys. It means Benidorm is not just a tune-up, it carries immediate consequences for the overall standings, particularly with Nys also expected to be on the start line.
As WielerFlits reported, the field is set to include both Nys and Van der Poel’s team and national teammate Tibor Del Grosso, giving the race a clear competitive edge rather than the feel of a low-risk opener.
Photo Credit: GettyBenidorm history, a familiar course with recent shifts in outcome
Benidorm is still a relatively young addition to the World Cup calendar, but Van der Poel already has a clear reference point there.
- He won the first edition in 2023
- He was beaten in 2024, with Wout van Aert taking the win
That recent swing matters, because it underlines how quickly Benidorm has become a race where form, pacing and precision can outweigh reputation, even for riders used to controlling the biggest days.
What to watch on January 18th
A late addition like this tends to sharpen the narrative around intent. The key questions in Benidorm are straightforward:
- Can Van der Poel protect his World Cup lead against a direct rival in Nys
- How hard will he choose to race, with Maasmechelen, Hoogerheide and the World Championships still to come
- Whether the race dynamic changes with Del Grosso also listed as a significant opponent rather than just support
Van der Poel’s choice to race suggests he wants competition, not just controlled preparation, and Benidorm now becomes a meaningful marker in the final stretch towards Hulst.
