Van Aert–Van der Poel rivalry

The cycling rivalry between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel is considered among the greatest and longest lasting rivalries in the sport, as they are contemporaries and have competed against each other since they were both eight years old. They raced each other for the first time in a major event in the 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's junior race and continuously since October 2013, originally in cyclo-cross and as their ambitions grew further also in road racing. The supporters of both riders, the Belgian media and later worldwide sports journalists began comparing one another regarding track record, racing style and personality.

Van Aert was born in September 1994 and Van der Poel in January 1995. Van Aert is from Belgium and has been riding for Team Visma–Lease a Bike since 2019. Van der Poel is from the Netherlands and rides for Alpecin–Deceuninck. Both were born and raised in the cycling heartland of Flanders though and in both cyclo-cross and road racing they have won various similar races and achieved various similar milestones. In cyclo-cross, Van Aert has often been the better racer on heavy courses in the mud whereas Van der Poel is better on punchy courses and known for his last lap attacks. On the road, Van Aert has proved himself many times being the better time trialist, climber and mass sprinter whereas Van der Poel is the better puncheur and classics specialist.