Van der Poel told VTM Nieuws <\/a>his rampage through Renewi served as the ultimate boost ahead of his wildcard charge on the cross-country MTB world title.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m positive about my form. This was exactly what I needed,\u201d he said Sunday. \u201cThe effort I had to put in in the final is very similar to that of a mountain bike race.\u201d<\/p>\n It took more than the hangover of the pneumonia<\/a> that forced him out of the Tour de France to slow down the Dutch Duracell Bunny.<\/p>\n MVDP beat back De Lie and Tim Wellens on the cobbles of Geraardsbergen for a classics-styled comeback win on Friday\u2019s third stage.<\/p>\n The Alpecin-Deceuninck megastar was only seconds away from beating De Lie for the stage win and the overall on Sunday\u2019s finale.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have definitely signed up for this beforehand,\u201d Van der Poel said Sunday. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of a shame that it was so close to winning the Renewi Tour as well. But I\u2019m very happy with the effort I\u2019ve put in these past few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n What an end, what a thriller! Winning the Renewi Tour 2025 by taking the final stage in the leader\u2019s jersey. A dream finale with @Arnaud_De_Lie<\/a> in the spotlight! #RenewiTour<\/a> #GoWithGolazo<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ca8ob52yTw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Renewi Tour (@RenewiTour) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Van der Poel knows that winning the Renewi Tour won\u2019t change his palmar\u00e8s.<\/p>\n He was so unfazed by his near miss at the WorldTour race that he was on the golf course less than four hours after the podium ceremony.<\/p>\n For the Dutchman, victory at the cross-country world championships next month and the chance to own a rainbow jersey for MTB, road, cyclocross, and gravel is what counts.<\/p>\n Next for Van der Poel: Staying upright in Les Gets Van der Poel is all but done with his Canyon Aeroad for 2025. He already ruled out the mountainous road worlds in Kigali<\/a>.<\/p>\n Instead, the rest of his year looks gnarly.<\/p>\n Van der Poel will race the Les Gets round of the UCI mountain bike World Cup on August 31 before he takes on the specialists at worlds in September.<\/p>\n The big elephant in the room \u2013 can MVDP keep it upright?<\/p>\n His somersaulting crash at the Tokyo Olympics won\u2019t be forgotten, and his flirtation with MTB earlier this year resulted in two crashes and a fractured wrist<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been on the mountain bike a few times to get used to that position. That\u2019s the biggest adjustment for me,\u201d Van der Poel said Sunday. \u201cThe technique will come naturally once I can ride the course every day starting Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI did the same thing in May in the run-up to Nov\u00e9 M\u011bsto \u2026 but this time I hope to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2215912275-2.jpg\")
MVDP crashed twice and broke his wrist in May at Nove Mesto. (Photo: Billy Ceusters\/Getty Images )<\/p>\n