Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has urged he might skip the Tour de France in 2025 in favour of a return to mountain biking.
The Dutch star received the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix within the highway race world champion’s jersey this season however endured a subdued summer season, with a comparatively nameless show on the Tour de France.
That has precipitated him to query whether or not he needs to return subsequent yr, or whether or not he’d be higher off returning to mountain biking, which he sacrificed this yr and the place he nonetheless has unfinished enterprise.
“To say I used to be sad on the Tour is probably slightly sturdy, however I did not have an excellent 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 drag on the yellow jersey and my expectations had been excessive. This yr I had bother reaching my high stage on the Tour, however I wasn’t unhealthy. I do know I am higher in one-day races and I am specializing in them.”
Van der Poel has received a glittering array of Classics on the highway, together with seven Monuments and a World Championship, however his influence on the world’s largest race has been restricted. Past his storming debut in 2021 when he received 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 believe possibly it is a good second to attempt to get again on the mountain bike, if I’ve time. That is nonetheless a giant 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 significant worldwide title has up to now eluded him. He determined to skip the Olympics this yr, however the World Championships stay a giant profession goal, not least since his assortment of rainbow jerseys has expanded in recent times. In addition to the six cyclo-cross world titles in his locker, Van der Poel received the highway race crown final yr and just lately added an eighth rainbow jersey within the new self-discipline of gravel. Touchdown the mountain bike title subsequent summer season would make him a world champion throughout 4 totally different disciplines.
Van der Poel has selections to make subsequent summer season 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 just lately obtained going.
“I nonetheless do not know,” he mentioned. “We have nonetheless not determined, so we’ll see.”
