"First I want to see how everything goes": Van der Poel confirms that he will be at the Les Gets XCO World Cup

Mathieu van der Poel continues to shape his calendar for the second part of the season after the Tour. The Dutchman, who had already announced his participation in the Renewi Tour (August 20-24) as part of his preparation, has now confirmed that he will also be in the UCI Mountain Bike XCO World Cup in Les Gets (August 31).

Mathieu van der Poel confirms his presence in Les Gets before the MTB World Championships

In statements prior to the criterium of Etten-Leur, which he competed in this Sunday, Van der Poel acknowledged that the recovery from his pneumonia episode has been slower than expected: "I have had quite a few discomforts, but now it's starting to get a little better." He explained that he was able to calmly ride a bike again a week after leaving the Tour, and it was during a training camp in Spain where he was able to resume more demanding workouts.

Despite this setback, his roadmap to the MTB World Championships remains intact. The cyclocross world champion intends to compete in the Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, Switzerland, on September 14, and the Les Gets XCO World Cup will serve as a decisive test of form in real race conditions. "First I want to see how everything goes in the Renewi Tour, and then also in the World Cup in France", he stated.

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Provisional calendar of Van der Poel until the XCO World Championships:

• August 20-24: Renewi Tour (road)
• August 31: UCI Mountain Bike XCO World Cup - Les Gets (France)
• September 14: Mountain Bike World Championships - Valais (Switzerland)

The Les Gets race thus becomes a key event to assess whether the Dutchman arrives in conditions to fight for the rainbow jersey in Valais.