The legendary Belgian star won seven elite men's CX world titles between 1966 and 1973, six of those in succession. However, Van der Poel stands poised on six world titles and is the heavy favourite to match the historic record 10 years after claiming his first elite rainbow jersey at the age of 20.
If the Alpecin-Deceuninck star can take victory then he would then have the chance to break the record next year on home turf in the Netherlands as Worlds heads to Hulst.
Meanwhile, the elite women’s race could be one for the ages, with defending champion Fem van Empel bidding for her third consecutive elite world title at just 22. However, after a dominant 2024, this past season has seen the gap from Van Empel to her competitors close significantly.
She'll likely face a huge battle with her Dutch teammates, most notably Lucinda Brand, who finished her pre-World Championships campaign with victory in Hoogerheide last weekend, well ahead of Van Empel in fourth and is also a former world champion from 2021.
Based on a hillside in the French town of Liévin, near Lens, the 2.5km Val Souchez circuit is typically French and has a mix of longer sections - where absolute power will be essential, technical corners and chicanes, with bridges and more steps being added for the Worlds.
When the French National Championships were held at the same venue three years ago there was soft and muddy ground as Joshua Dubau soloed to victory. It's been raining for a lot of the run into the headline events on Saturday and Sunday so the mud could be heavily affected, however, the forecast for now is meant to be dry on race day.
It is hard to look beyond the Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), who will be the firm favourite to win his seventh world title in Liévin and equal De Vlaeminck's incredible tally of seven elite world titles.
The 30-year-old has won all seven of his cyclocross races this season and has only been beaten once in his last 24 outings in the 'cross field due to a crash at the Benidorm World Cup last year.
However, Van der Poel suffered a broken rib on his way to winning the Exact Cross in Loenhout and was forced to miss events in both Koksijde and Dendermonde – with both courses requiring large amounts of running.
The Dutchman returned in style last weekend winning at both Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide, looking well back to his almighty best ahead of Worlds.
However, if the Liévin course becomes less rideable as a heavy weekend of racing goes on and the Dutch star struggles with his running, then his broken rib may cause trouble and open up the contest.
Van der Poel hasn't lost an elite World Championships race since 2018, however, so has history on his side and should be confident of the record coming his way
Despite Wout van Aert being a late entry to Worlds, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider is never a contender to be underestimated and has won three elite cyclocross world titles in his career, albeit not since 2018.
The 30-year-old is a surprise contender at Liévin and was due to conclude his cyclocross season last weekend after finishing runner-up behind Van der Poel at Maasmechelen. However, he will don the light blue of Belgium to offer up a challenge to the heavy favourite.
Van Aert will be encouraged by his performance last weekend after briefly challenging his Dutch rival before crashing and finishing 1:14 behind.
It will take a huge performance by Van Aert to win gold in Liévin, but he has long been providing masterclass rides on the road and cyclocross field. He's also the only rider to win a world title with Van der Poel on the startline - at under-23 level in 2014 and three times consecutively between 2016-2018.
He will be hoping for the heaviest ground possible in Liévin to test the rib pain of rival Van der Poel to the maximum and prevent him from making more history.
At just 22, young star Thibau Nys will be competing in his second elite world championship after winning the rainbow jersey at both junior and under-23 levels.
Already adored by his Belgian fans, Nys was born into cyclocross, with his father Sven Nys having won two elite world titles and nine national titles.
Nys junior stepped up to new heights in the 2024-2025 'cross season and won his first European and Belgium national crowns and will be bidding for a clean sweep of the jerseys in Liévin.
While his father was a cyclocross stalwart, Thibau also has road racing aspirations, and his devastating turn of pace saw him win stages at the Tour of Hungary, Tour of Poland, Tour of Suisse, Tour of Norway and the Tour of Romandie last season, with debuts at the Ardennes and possibly the Tour de France set to come later in the year.
Nys showed that turn of speed to leave a tired Van Aert in his wake to win the Benidorm World Cup in fine fashion and would have been hoping to do the same again in Liévin.
However, his aim of a top finish in France has been dented after being forced to miss the World Cup in Maasmechelen last weekend due to illness and then failing to finish at Hoogerheide the following day. Nys will definitely be on the start line but whether he's fully recovered or not is a different story.
With four world championship medals to his name the experienced Baloise Glowi Lions rider Lars van der Haar always manages to rise to the occasion and time his form just right.
The 33-year-old has won two European and four Dutch national titles, but the elite world crown has eluded him despite four visits to the elite podium since 2013 and a runner-up finish as recently as 2022.
Van Der Haar struck his first World Cup podium of the season on a fast Benidorm course and repeated the result at Hoogerheide last weekend, as he looks set to have peaked perfectly for Liévin.
He's tasted World Championship glory before on two occasions at the under-23 level but has been in a tricky era vying for wins behind the pair of Van der Poel and Van Aert. He'll need something truly special if he is to win, but expect Van der Haar's best.
After finishing third in last year’s Cyclocross World Championships Michael Vanthourenhout is looking set for another strong finish in 2025.
Belgian national coach Angelo De Clercq also told Het Laatste Nieuws that the lack of technical features would suit the strength of Vanthourenhout on a course "tailor-made" to his strengths.
"The circuit is not super technical and the bends are long, it will be something for riders with a lot of substance, a test of strength," said De Clercq. "When I saw the course, I immediately thought of Michael Vanthourenhout."
The 32-year-old was the closest finisher to Van Der Poel last weekend at Hoogerheide as he chased alone and finished 1:42 behind, continuing to show consistent form.
If the Belgium team can work together, they could stop Van der Poel with team tactics, and Vanthourenhout is one of several Belgians who could sneak away for victory.
Trade teammate Eli Iserbyt could also be a weapon in the Belgium attack in fast conditions, while Toon Aerts will be looking to solidify his first season back following a doping ban with a world championship medal.
The reigning world champion Fem van Empel had finished off the podium just once this season before having a nightmare last weekend with two of her worst results.
Van Empel’s key strength since joining the elite ranks has been her mental calmness and decision-making under pressure, which has won her a host of races in the last laps.
However, the 23-year-old looked under pressure last Saturday and Sunday, when several crashes and mistakes resulted in a sixth-place finish in Maasmechelen, which she followed up with fourth in Hoogeheide after being unable to follow Lucinda Brand and crashing out of the podium fight.
The 22-year-old will be hoping for a third successive title before embarking on a road campaign with Visma-Lease a Bike, which has drawn some of her focus away from her 'cross career.
There is a question mark over the still very star but she remains 'very confident' she'll have the form heading into Liévin and a fierce Dutch battle for rainbows.
At 35 years old, Lucinda Brand remains the most consistent rider in the women’s cyclocross field and has showcased her strength and power time and time again throughout this past season.
A strong road season saw the Lidl-Trek rider play key roles in the Spring Classics, Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, LOTTO Thuringen Ladies Tour, Giro d’Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which she credits for her current stunning form.
Brand had two months off before a top-10 at the Gravel World Championships and a 27-race and counting ‘cross season. Despite being by far the busiest 'cross rider she has yet to finish off the podium and clinched eight wins.
Brand will come into the women’s race as many people’s favourite after riding clear of her competitors at Hoogerheide on Sunday to win by 28 seconds, with Van Empel way off and many others falling to her unstoppable diesel engine.
The Dutch rider often comes good later in the race with her huge endurance base always getting highlighted in the latter laps. The longer those vying for victory fail to drop Brand, the more likely a second title will look for her.
After being crowned World and European Mountain Bike World Champion, even bigger things were expected from the 22-year-old Puck Pieterse this 'cross season.
During a shortened campaign the Fenix-Deceuninck has podiumed in five World Cup events and won the Dutch National Championship but has not looked quite as strong as she did in the 2022-23 or 2023-24 CX seasons.
The multi-disciplined rider, who won a stage of last year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and showed her true potential as a road race, could rise to the occasion and take victory in Liévin after podiuming the last two years.
After all, Pieterse only believes her form is getting better after seeing off the charge of Van Empel to take third at Hoogerheide last weekend. With the road season and Classics approaching, perhaps Pieterse's best will come out at the biggest race of the season.
Dutch riders dominated the World Championships elite women's race in 2024, locking out the top four positions, and this year’s race looks set to be a similar story.
However, one rider who could disrupt that is Blanka Vas from Hungary, who on her day, can compete with the top riders and is only getting stronger as she matures into a top 'cross rider.
The 23-year-old has also hit form at the right moment and took the second World Cup victory of her career at Maasmechelen on Saturday before finishing runner-up at Hoogerheide the following day.
The five-time Hungarian National champion would make history for her country if she is to take victory or finish on the podium in Liévin, two feats no Hungarian has ever managed in the elite women's or men's race.
Vas has had previous success in peaking for the World Championships and took silver and bronze in the under-23 age category, so she knows how to taper correctly for Worlds. With Van Empel not at her best and with a win over Brand last Saturday, Vas should be confident.
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Ben raced as an amateur cyclist in the UK from a young age into the senior ranks on the road, track and in cyclocross. He has an NQJ qualification in journalism, and a sports journalism degree, and has spent over 10 years as a news and sports journalist. Ben has been covering cyclocross for media outlets, including Cyclingnews, since 2021 and has been on the ground reporting at World Championships in Zolder, Belvaux, Valkenberg, Dubendorf, and Hoogerheide. Away from cycling as a freelance sports journalist, Ben regularly reports on a range of sports including football, rugby, and snooker amongst others. However, he is happiest whilst reporting on-site at cyclocross races in Belgium and the Netherlands.
