The KNWU has confirmed that Mathieu van der Poel will not ride the elite men’s road race at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda. In his absence, the Netherlands will be led by Thymen Arensman, fresh from two stage wins at the Tour de France, with Bauke Mollema adding experience on a climbing-heavy course.
Arensman steps up for a mountainous world championships
The profile in Rwanda is built for attrition rather than sprint control, and that suits Arensman’s July form. He won in both the Pyrenees and the Alps, threading climbs and descents with patience before delivering measured finishes.
Sports director Koos Moerenhout framed the approach clearly: “We don’t have a clear favourite this year, like we did with Mathieu van der Poel, [but] that gives us flexibility when approaching this race. Thymen Arensman has, of course, done some fantastic performances and he will certainly be a key player. But several other riders will also have the freedom to compete heading into the final.”
Alongside Arensman and Mollema, the Dutch line-up includes Sam Oomen, Wout Poels, Frank van den Broek and Koen Bouwman. Arensman will also contest the individual time trial on 21st September.
Photo Credit: GettyTactics without a single protected leader
Moerenhout expects a race decided by anticipation and stamina rather than set-piece sprints. “Our chances will mainly consist of trying to anticipate, reading the race, then getting in a breakaway. On the other hand, it will also be a real battle of attrition,” he said. The squad has options to attack medium-length climbs from range and to place multiple riders in late moves, a sensible hedge on one of the most demanding world championships courses in recent memory.
Van der Poel pivots to Renewi Tour and XCO
Van der Poel, the 2023 world road champion, will focus on rebuilding race rhythm at the Renewi Tour from 20th to 24th August, then target the Les Gets XCO World Cup on 31st August. He is aiming for the elite men’s XCO title at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais on 14th September, but told Nieuwsblad at a Belgian criterium that recent pneumonia and his Tour de France abandonment mean participation will depend on how he comes through the road block.
“It’s basically on my schedule, but we first have to see how it goes in the Renewi Tour and the World Cup in Les Gets. The Renewi Tour is necessary for me to regain race rhythm for my mountain biking,” he said. “The plan for the future is to ride more mountain bike races, so I can get a good starting position at the World Championships. But it was just very difficult this time.”
Photo Credit: GettyWhat to expect in Rwanda
With no single standout Dutch favourite, the opportunity is to race assertively rather than reactively. Arensman’s Tour wins suggest he can manage long climbing efforts and still produce at the line; Mollema remains a canny reader of attritional days; Poels and Bouwman can harden climbs and set tempo in the final hour; Oomen and van den Broek give depth for moves that go clear before the last ascent.
On a course that punishes hesitation, the Netherlands will try to get numbers up the road and force others to chase. If the race fractures early, that flexibility becomes their best card.
