RECORD-EQUALLING CYCLOCROSS WORLD CHAMPS WIN FOR MATHIEU VAN DER POEL, SIXTH WITH CANYON'S INFLITE CFR

Magnificent seven for van der Poel, plus U23 gold for Del Grosso and Bäckstedt

Ever since Canyon founder Roman Arnold first witnessed the prowess of a young Dutch wunderkind called Mathieu van der Poel, a clear and very simple plan was mapped out. Sign Mathieu, build the best bikes, win the biggest races, listen to his feedback, go again.

Across road, gravel and mountain biking, Mathieu is clearly one of the best in the world, but in cyclocross he has gone one step further, etching his name in cyclocross history. He is now equal with the greatest of all time – at least in terms of World Championship titles. And for the majority of those wins, he’s not only been riding the Inflite CFR, but he’s contributed significantly to its development too.

With this weekend’s win in Liévin, France, Mathieu’s seven World Championship titles, won between 2015 and 2025, leaves him now tied with Erik de Vlaeminck, who won his titles between 1966 and 1973.

Speaking to NPO about what it means to equal the record of Erik de Vlaminck, Mathieu said: “It’s a record that was standing already for a long, long time. When you start racing in elite category you hope to be [world champion] once of course but you never imagine to be seven times world champion, so also for me it’s something special.”

Mathieu signed for Canyon in late 2017, giving him now six World titles on the Inflite CFR, the Canyon Factory Racing bike with the iconic kinked top tube, designed for excelling in the mud, grass and sandy conditions found between the course tapes.

In the pursuit of greatness, Mathieu’s feedback on the Inflite CFR led to improvements across the board, creating an ultra-light benchmark bike that makes light work of even the toughest courses. His contribution to the bike’s design and feedback during the development process have been instrumental in making the Inflite CFR a dominant force in the sport.

With beautifully predictable handling, a super-clean cable-integrated width-adjustable CP0018 Aerocockpit, highly-durable bearings, and a frame that reduces harshness and discomfort and provides ample sludge-shedding tyre clearance, the Inflite CFR is the bike of choice for the world’s top cyclocross pro's including of course fellow 2025 Cyclocross World Championship winners Tibor Del Grosso and Zoe Bäckstedt.

Dutchman Del Grosso, who also happens to be Van der Poel's teammate at Alpecin-Deceuninck, romped to U23 victory on Saturday with a dominant display from start to finish to reclaim the title he won in 2024.

Bäckstedt also defended her U23 title with victory on Sunday despite a heavy fall on the opening lap. The CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto rider switched to a lower tyre pressure and soon opened a commanding lead to record her third World Championship title and her second at U23 level.

With three rainbow jerseys in the bag this weekend, plus a multitude of World Cup wins and previous World Championship titles, Canyon’s Inflite CFR can stake a serious claim to being one of the most winningest cyclocross bikes of all time, and certainly the perfect bike for one of the Greatest Of All Time.

You can find the Inflite CFR exclusively on Canyon.com or through the Canyon App, where you can also access bike service information, compatible spare parts, exploded drawings and of course, coming soon, a celebration of one of the Greatest of all Time.

1. All photos copyright Kristof Ramon.