Why Mathieu van der Poel is skipping races to train for Pogacar showdown

With victories in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix—while wearing the rainbow jersey—Mathieu van der Poel capped off another spectacular year. In the upcoming season, he will aim to match those achievements. However, the return of Tadej Pogacar to the Tour of Flanders promises fierce competition. As the Tour de France eagerly anticipates the presence of the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider this summer, Van der Poel remains less than enthusiastic about the prospect.

Reflecting with Sporza, Van der Poel acknowledged the significance of 2024. "Winning the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the rainbow jersey might be the highlight of my career. It’s something quite unique," he shared proudly. In Flanders, Van der Poel launched a daring solo attack on the Koppenberg, narrowly avoiding a major energy crash. "It was an incredibly tough edition, especially with the heavy rain in the final hour. I had the same feeling as during the World Championships in Harrogate 2019. I was close to hitting the wall. The race couldn’t have lasted much longer for me."

This year, the 29-year-old Dutchman will face Pogacar, who outpaced him on the Oude Kwaremont in 2023. "It will be tough to beat him, but I welcome the challenge." Van der Poel acknowledges that adjustments are necessary to close the gap. "We’re thinking about how to narrow the margin to Pogacar. It’s essential if I want to beat him in Flanders. Perhaps more intense and focused training is the solution. For that reason, I’ve decided to skip the Cyclocross World Cup in Benidorm to focus on a training camp that better prepares me for the classics."

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Van der Poel forced to take a break after stellar start to cyclo-cross winter

Prefers not to ride the Tour: "There's not much in it for me"

Mathieu van der Poel's spring campaign will culminate at the Roubaix Velodrome, as he skips Liège-Bastogne-Liège this year. What follows is preparation for the summer—but whether that includes the Tour de France remains uncertain. "It's a race I don't particularly enjoy," he admits candidly. The course suits him well, yet his hesitation lingers. "Aside from trying to win stages and wearing the yellow jersey, there’s not much in the Tour for me. I’d rather race five events where I’m contending for the win than spend 20 stages where half the time, I’m not in the mix."

Instead, the former world champion is considering a summer focused on mountain biking. He still has goals he wants to achieve before the end of his career. "If I could choose, I’d like to become mountain biking world champion this year. I haven’t managed that yet, and it’s something that stays on my mind." Another big target is becoming Olympic champion on the MTB. "I have one more chance for that: Los Angeles 2028. LA will almost certainly be my last Olympics, and it would be incredible to close out my career on a mountain bike."

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Van der Poel hopes to bury the Tokyo disappointment

"I definitely won’t keep racing until I’m 40"

By 2028, Van der Poel will be 33 years old, signaling the likely end of his career. An extended run, like that of Alejandro Valverde, is not in his plans. "I won’t keep racing until I’m 40. I think it’s important to stop at a high point or a place where you’re at peace with your career. Sometimes you see riders keep going for too long, and it detracts from the legacy they built."

To close, Van der Poel shared a heartfelt thought: "I’m hugely bothered by how narrow-minded people have become—not just in sports but in other areas as well. It feels like so little is allowed these days, and I find that difficult to deal with. People don’t seem to support each other much anymore. It’s a shame. I hope we can all try to be a bit more positive this year."

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