Improving rapidly with each lap, Mathieu van der Poel seizes the sixth position in his comeback to mountain biking at the World Cup in Les Gets.
Mathieu van der Poel Kicks Off MTB World Championships Preparation in Les Gets
Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch cycling sensation, took part in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets, France, marking the start of his focus on the MTB World Championships later this month. Despite ending the day a minute down on eventual winner Luca Martin, van der Poel expressed satisfaction with his performance.
Van der Poel started the race on the fifth row, a position that he admitted cost him a few places at the start due to a slow start. He decided not to take any risks on the first lap, opting for a more conservative approach.
The Dutch rider's last mountain bike race was in May at the Nove Město, Czechia round of the World Cup. During the race, van der Poel crashed twice in the opening laps and later abandoned. This race in Les Gets was his comeback to mountain biking after a two-year break.
Despite the setback at Nove Město, van der Poel has a strong record in mountain biking. He has won national and European cross-country mountain bike titles but has yet to take a world title. His best result to date is bronze at the 2018 MTB Worlds.
Van der Poel raced alongside Luca Braidot, Mathias Flückiger, and Martin during the race. He joined the lead group of the race on the fifth of eight laps. However, towards the end of the race, he felt he lacked "punch" and acceleration in his legs.
After the race, van der Poel acknowledged that he needs specific training towards the World Championships, which will take place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on September 14. He aims to complete the set of rainbow jerseys in the MTB World Championships, a feat that would solidify his status as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.
The trainer preparing van der Poel for the MTB World Championships is not explicitly mentioned in the available search results. Van der Poel, in addition to being a multiple world champion in cyclo-cross, also holds titles in gravel and road. With his focus now squarely on mountain biking, fans eagerly await his performance at the World Championships later this month.
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