Van der Poel reveals the reasons why he has had to alter his MTB season and plan to reach the World Championship

After more than two months without competing since Paris-Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel will return this Wednesday to wear a number at the Tour de Suisse. The Dutchman from Alpecin-Deceuninck thus begins the final phase of his preparation for the Tour de France, a decision that has had a direct consequence: giving up a large part of the MTB calendar he had planned to compete in this spring.

Mathieu van der Poel reappears at the Tour de Suisse and explains why he has sacrificed his mini MTB season to arrive at the Tour de France in top shape

Van der Poel has not competed since last April, when he concluded an intense classics campaign marked by victories in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Saxo Classic, and two stages of the Tirreno-Adriatico. However, his major goals for the spring did not turn out as he had hoped. A fall affected his chances in Milan-San Remo, Tadej Pogačar was superior in the Tour of Flanders, and two punctures greatly complicated his Paris-Roubaix, where he still managed to finish fourth after a spectacular comeback.

After Roubaix, the team opted to interrupt competition and focus all efforts on building a specific preparation for the Tour de France.

RECOMENDADO

From trainers to luxury watches: Zwift's new adventure with Bravur

The Bianchi Specialissima 2027 is completely renewed to be faster on flat terrain and just as light in the mountains

Tom Pidcock drops out of the Tour of Switzerland after suffering a viral infection in Sierra Nevada

Patrice Brunet, a key figure in the history of Zéfal and a defender of the European cycling industry, has passed away

A personalized Look 795 for Donald Trump and the other G7 leaders

The MTB also comes to LEGO: this is the new set with bikes, mechanics, and adventures in the mountains

In statements collected by In de Leiderstrui, Van der Poel explained that the plan has gone as expected.

“First, I had a rest period and then I returned to training, initially on my own and later in a concentration with the team. The preparation has been good, and I feel that I am where I need to be.”

The Tour de Suisse will be his first competitive test since April. Although the Dutchman acknowledges that there is always some uncertainty after such a long absence, he believes that training provides a fairly accurate picture of his condition.

“Training gives you a good indication of your level. Generally, you know what to expect when you return to competition.”

MTB, the big victim of his preparation for the Tour

The main news for mountain bike fans is that the preparation for the Tour has significantly altered Van der Poel's plans off-road.

The Dutchman had planned to compete in several MTB events during his period without competition. In fact, he even appeared on the official entry list for the World Cup in Nové Město. However, later Alpecin ruled out his participation, and some minor back issues ultimately canceled the mountain races he had scheduled.

As the rider himself explains, balancing both objectives turned out to be too complicated.

“Trying to prepare for both disciplines created a difficult combination. We decided that the priority was to make the best possible preparation for the Tour de France.”

Although those physical problems did not affect his work for the Tour, they have notably compressed the calendar with which he will arrive at one of his major goals of the season: the MTB World Championship in Val di Sole, scheduled for August.

Val di Sole remains a goal

Despite having fewer preparation races than desired, Van der Poel still intends to fight for the rainbow jersey in MTB, one of the few major titles still missing from his palmarès.

After finishing the Tour de France, the Dutchman will focus all his attention on mountain biking and hopes to compete in one or two events before traveling to Val di Sole.

“It’s not the ideal preparation, but I still want to give it a shot.”

The Dutch champion already knows what it is like to win the European MTB title, but he has yet to become the world champion in the discipline. In the 2025 edition, he finished in 29th place.

Double assault on the rainbow in 2026

Van der Poel's plans do not end in Val di Sole. Once the MTB World Championship is over, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider plans to return to the road to compete in the Road World Championship to be held in Canada in September.

An extremely demanding calendar that could lead him to fight for two world titles in just a few weeks.

“A lot can happen during the summer. But right now, the plan is to race both world championships.”

The first stop will be the Tour de Suisse, a five-stage race that will include explosive finishes, a time trial, and a mountain day. A perfect setting to check how much the sacrifice of his MTB program has helped him arrive at the Tour de France in the best possible condition.