Mathieu van der Poel has done almost everything in cycling. And as of early February, after winning his seventh cyclocross world championship, the only major gap on his CV is a mountain bike cross-country world championship. He already has a rainbow jersey from road and gravel disciplines.
“If I could choose, I would like to become world champion mountain biker this year,” Van der Poel recently admitted. “I haven’t succeeded yet, and it keeps playing in the back of my mind.”
Latest plans
While Van der Poel hasn’t been secretive about his plan to focus on mountain biking this year, yesterday he let the world know he’ll be heading to the MTB world championships in Valais, Switzerland instead of the road world championships in Rwanda. The Valais world championships are scheduled for September 10-14, 2025. He’s choosing singletrack over tarmac; making his overall goal clear. And fans of racing are stoked for the competition. People like Victor Koretzky, Charlie Aldridge and Alan Hatherly may think differently.
A discipline that feels like home
Mountain biking isn’t new for Van der Poel. His two previous attempts at mountain bike worlds, in 2018 and 2023, ended with a third-place finish and a DNF, leaving him hungry for redemption. Despite dominating across multiple disciplines, the mountain bike rainbow jersey remains an elusive prize.
“Winning this title would mean so much to me,” he shared recently. “It’s not just about completing the set; it’s about returning to a discipline that feels pure and thrilling.”
And after that? Los Angeles 2028
While Van der Poel’s immediate focus is the 2025 mountain bike season, he’s also eyeing the long game—an Olympic gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“LA will almost certainly be my last chance. I’ll be 33 and it would be incredible to finish my Olympic journey on a mountain bike.”
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