Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has recommended he might skip the Tour de France in 2025 in favour of a return to mountain biking.
The Dutch star gained the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix within the street race world champion’s jersey this season however endured a subdued summer time, with a comparatively nameless show on the Tour de France.
That has induced him to query whether or not he needs to return subsequent 12 months, or whether or not he’d be higher off returning to mountain biking, which he sacrificed this 12 months and the place he nonetheless has unfinished enterprise.
“To say I used to be sad on the Tour is probably somewhat robust, however I did not have a very good time,” Van der Poel advised Spanish newspaper Marca throughout an look at a winter criterium occasion in Alicante.
“On my debut on the Tour [in 2021] I managed to tug on the yellow jersey and my expectations had been excessive. This 12 months I had hassle reaching my high stage on the Tour, however I wasn’t dangerous. I do know I am higher in one-day races and I am specializing in them.”
Van der Poel has gained a glittering array of Classics on the street, together with seven Monuments and a World Championship, however his impression on the world’s largest race has been restricted. Past his storming debut in 2021 when he gained a stage and wore the yellow jersey, he hasn’t hit the identical notes, pulling out mid-way by following the Giro d’Italia in 2022 after which recording a highest stage putting of twelfth throughout the previous two editions.
Requested whether or not he’ll return to the Tour in 2025, he mentioned: “We nonetheless do not know. It relies upon how the season goes. I feel possibly it is a good second to try to get again on the mountain bike, if I’ve time. That is nonetheless an enormous goal for me.”
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Van der Poel has been an everyday on the mountain bike circuit all through his multi-faceted profession however a serious worldwide title has thus far eluded him. He determined to skip the Olympics this 12 months, however the World Championships stay an enormous profession goal, not least since his assortment of rainbow jerseys has expanded lately. In addition to the six cyclo-cross world titles in his locker, Van der Poel gained the street race crown final 12 months and lately added an eighth rainbow jersey within the new self-discipline of gravel. Touchdown the mountain bike title subsequent summer time would make him a world champion throughout 4 totally different disciplines.
Van der Poel has selections to make subsequent summer time however he additionally has selections to make this winter, with nonetheless no readability on whether or not he’ll return to the cyclo-cross circuit, the place the season has lately received going.
“I nonetheless do not know,” he mentioned. “We have nonetheless not determined, so we’ll see.”
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