Van der Poel returns to dirt in pursuit of mountain bike world title

Mathieu van der Poel is no stranger to juggling disciplines, but 2025 hasn’t made it easy. Just weeks after withdrawing from the Tour de France with pneumonia, the Dutch multi-discipline world champion has announced he is still on track for one of his goals this year: the UCI Mountain Bike world championships in Valais, Switzerland.

“It’s always difficult to stay healthy in a Grand Tour,” Van der Poel said during his first public appearance since abandoning the Tour. “You come into contact with a lot of people and you don’t sleep in the best hotels. Unfortunately, this year it was my turn to get sick.”

Van der Poel had been targeting key stages in the third week of the Tour. “There were some great stages left, including the final stage in Paris. But there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

A calculated return

After a slow recovery and a training block in Spain, Van der Poel is easing back into race rhythm with the five-day Renewi Tour (Aug. 20–24). From there, his focus will shift fully to mountain biking. Specifically two high-profile cross-country races: the UCI world cup round in Les Gets, France (Aug. 31) and the world championships in Valais (Sept. 14).
Both races are key stepping stones toward his main objective: adding a mountain bike world championship title to an already stacked resume.

Les Gets

Van der Poel’s appearance at the Les Gets world cup is no casual comeback. It’s a decisive moment that will determine whether he’s in form to contend for gold in Switzerland.
It’s a rare sight to see Van der Poel back between the tape in an XCO world cup, but it’s part of a bigger play. With his technical skills, explosive power and experience from cross-discipline success, few would count him out. Even after an illness.

A loaded calendar

Here’s what the lead-up to Valais looks like for the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider:
Aug. 20–24: Renewi Tour (road)
Aug. 31: UCI MTB XCO world cup – Les Gets, France
Sept. 14: UCI MTB world championships – Valais, Switzerland

Whether or not he adds a mountain bike rainbow jersey to his collection this fall, Van der Poel’s return to dirt is a reminder of just how versatile and ambitious he really is.