Mathieu van der Poel, a prominent figure from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, has hinted at the possibility of skipping the 2025 Tour de France to revisit mountain biking. This decision follows a summer where he didn’t quite shine at the Tour, despite wearing the prestigious road race world champion’s jersey after winning the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix earlier in the season.
Reflecting on his Tour experience, Van der Poel shared with *Marca*, a Spanish newspaper, during a winter criterium event in Alicante: “To say I was unhappy at the Tour is perhaps a little strong, but I didn’t have a good time.” He reminisced about his debut in 2021, where he donned the yellow jersey, but he struggled to reach his peak this year. His focus now seems to be on one-day races, where he believes he performs best.
Van der Poel’s achievements in one-day races are commendable, with seven Monuments and a World Championship under his belt. However, his Tour de France performances haven’t quite matched those heights since his impressive 2021 debut. He withdrew halfway through the 2022 edition, following the Giro d’Italia, and achieved a highest stage position of 12th over the last two Tours.
When questioned about a potential 2025 Tour return, Van der Poel responded, “We still don’t know. It depends how the season goes. I think maybe it’s a good moment to try and get back on the mountain bike, if I have time. That’s still a big objective for me.”
A regular on the mountain bike circuit, Van der Poel has yet to secure a major international title in this area. Although he skipped the Olympics this year, the World Championships remain a significant goal, especially as his collection of rainbow jerseys has grown. He’s claimed six cyclocross world titles and recently added an eighth rainbow jersey in gravel racing. Securing the mountain bike title next summer would make him a world champion in four different disciplines.
While Van der Poel ponders his 2025 decisions, he also faces choices this winter. He remains undecided about returning to the cyclocross circuit, where the season is already underway. “I still don’t know,” he remarked. “We’ve still not decided, so we’ll see.”
