Mathieu van der Poel heads to the Cyclo-cross World Championships on Sunday for his 11th appearance at the sport's headline event, the Dutchman seeking a record-breaking eighth world title that would take him clear of Erik De Vlaeminck.
Even if the man himself doesn't think so, Van der Poel's march to glory in Hulst is widely accepted as something of a foregone conclusion. He is unbeaten so far this winter, recording 12 wins from 12 races, after all.
But could the race be his last in cyclo-cross? Van der Poel has previously hinted at retiring if he were to reach the magic number of eight rainbow jerseys, but he hasn't made up his mind yet.
"I've already thought about it and talked about it. But I haven't made a final decision yet. And I'm not going to make it in Hulst either," Van der Poel told Het Nieuwsblad on Monday.
"Don't get me wrong: I still love racing. But every now and then, you have to consider other options. It has to end eventually, and I've always hoped to retire on a high. When you're given that choice, it's a little easier."
We'll have to wait and see what the Dutchman decides, then. He has mooted the idea that skipping a winter full of cyclo-cross would perhaps help him with his road goals, not least the spring Classics just a handful of months down the road.
However, should he miss out on title number eight, then there would be no question of retiring. "Indeed. I'm so close now. That eighth title remains the goal, though," he said.
Regardless of whether he wins next Sunday, Van der Poel is already being heralded as the greatest of all time in the discipline, with none other than Sven Nys – he of 140 professional 'cross victories – saying so.
He acknowledged the praise but remained modest when confronted with the depth of his achievements.
"It's nice that you journalists keep track of them for me. And as I get older, I'm starting to reflect on it more... When I started, I obviously never expected this. Racing was simply my first passion. So it's wonderful to see it grow into something like this," he said.
"I find it difficult to compare generations. If you only look at the number of classifications won, or how long someone has been at the top, Nys might be the greatest of all time. But it's nice that Sven says that. When I started, Sven was the rider I looked up to."
Heading into the Worlds, Van der Poel has not lost a race in over two years, his last defeat coming in Benidorm on January 24, 2024. He's not taking potential victory in Hulst for granted, though.
He won last Saturday's World Cup meeting in Maasmechelen after overcoming two punctures, and remains alert to the potential for similar pitfalls on Sunday.
"I'm certainly not going to Hulst feeling like I've already won. Anything can happen at a World Championships," he said.
"Mechanical problems, a bad day, a broken chain... You'll see it happen at a World Championships. I've had it happen in the past where I went to the World Championships as the favourite, and it didn't work out. It looks good, but the race always has to be raced."
