Van der Poel skips Amstel Gold Race, so how is he spending his break after Paris-Roubaix?

At the press conference in Roubaix's 'new cycling track,' a journalist cautiously asked him about it, but van der Poel was adamant in his answer. "No, I'm not competing in the Amstel Gold Race. It's time for a break. Team boss Philip Roodhooft fully agreed. 'The Amstel Gold Race is not on the program. There will be some mountain biking, but first, it will be a well-deserved vacation," said the Belgian.

A few days later, the first MTB news came in. The Bike the Rock race organizers in Heubach, Germany, announced on Sunday, May 18, that Van der Poel will participate. This will be his first appearance on a mountain bike since the Olympic test event in 2023, although the news that he will start there has not yet been confirmed by his team Alpecin-Deceuninck.

What is clear is that the Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland will be his next main goal in mid-September. Van der Poel will also compete in the Tour de France in July.

But first, there was time for some fun. On Friday evening, Van der Poel posted a photo of a dish made especially for him at the Michelin-starred restaurant Cuines 33 in Knokke. 'Paris-Roubaix 2025' was written on his plate. One day later, the Dutch rider posted a new photo on Instagram, this time on the golf course. It is time to relax after completing the necessary kilometers during the week.

Without van der Poel, Alpecin-Deceuninck counts on Quinten Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch, Xandro Meurisse, Oscar Riesebeek, Emiel Verstrynge, Henri Uhlig, and Gal Glivar in the Amstel Gold Race.