It’s been a long year for Mathieu van der Poel.
After months of racing at the highest level, van der Poel is taking a break. The Dutch star recently returned from a trip to Californa, where he combined light cycling with a lotta golf, but he’s still not ready to dive back into structured training. (You may have caught clips on social media where he shocked local Angelenos when he popped into a group ride.)
Post-MTB worlds
The season ended for van der Poel shortly after the UCI MTB world championships in mid-September. The event had been a big goal for the multiple world champion. Having won rainbow jerseys in ‘cross and road, the MTB title has long been one of his goals. Although he started off strong, he ultimately faded. Following that result, he pulled the plug on the season. No European champs, no gravel worlds. Doneso.
In the weeks leading up to the MTB Worlds, he admitted he struggled with “September itus,” a late-season burnout that affects even the strongest riders mentally and physically.
A tough late summer
Van der Poel told Het Laatste Nieuws: “The pneumonia that forced me to give up in the Tour de France was worse than first thought. I struggled with it for a long time afterwards, also because as a top athlete you want to start cycling again as soon as possible instead of getting extra rest.”
This combination of illness and fatigue disrupted his usual training routine. “Normally I always train a little more than I have to, now it was the other way around,” he said. Even on holiday, his rides were limited–he only went out on that group ride.
Looking ahead, he is taking a measured approach to the upcoming cyclocross season and early spring races. “I’m not really hungry for the bike yet, but that may also have to do with the lousy weather in Belgium,” van der Poel said.
He still had a helluva year. That included wins at Paris-Roubaix and Milan–San Remo, and a brilliant Tour de France stage victory. There was also an incredibly long breakaway at the Tour that would even make Tadej Pogačar’s knees buckle. Although he got caught in the final kilometre, it was still quite the show. No doubt cycling fans will see him racing soon–he is currently tied with the all-time record for ‘cross rainbow jerseys with seven. With a win in early 2026, he will make history, eclipsing the record he shares with Eric De Vlaeminck.