Van der Poel Returns to Mountain Biking

Return to Racing Late May

Mathieu van der Poel is preparing to make his return to competitive racing at the end of May. The Dutch cyclist will compete in a round of the UCI World Cup taking place in Nové Město, Czechia, from May 23-25. This will mark his first event since he completed the spring Classics with a victory at Paris-Roubaix on April 13.

Focus on Mountain Biking

Van der Poel will be switching gears back to mountain biking, a discipline he excelled in prior to focusing on road and cyclocross racing. His last appearance in a World Cup round was in 2021, during which he secured victories in short-track races at Albstadt and Nové Město. Following the Nové Město event, he plans to concentrate on road racing, culminating in the Tour de France.

Previous Challenges

After competing in the Tokyo Olympics, van der Poel faced difficulties, including a crash during his race and ongoing back issues. He returned to performance this year at the Paris Olympics test event but opted not to participate in the mountain bike event at the Olympics. Instead, he achieved significant success on the road and in cyclocross, earning three world titles.

Future Competitions

Following the World Cup in Nové Město, van der Poel will shift his focus back to cycling on the road. He aims to prepare for the upcoming Tour de France in July, before returning to mountain biking later in the season, with his sights set on the UCI MTB World Championships in September.