Dutch cycling superstar Mathieu van der Poel is back in the spotlight after a turbulent few weeks that began with a high-speed crash during the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Nové Město, Czechia, in late May 2025. Van der Poel, who was making a much-anticipated return to mountain biking, was forced to abandon the race after two early crashes left him visibly shaken. Following his withdrawal, he was taken for medical evaluation in Belgium, where scans revealed he had sustained an avulsion fracture of the scaphoid bone in his wrist, as well as minor ligament damage. Though the injuries were not life-threatening, they raised serious doubts about his participation in the upcoming road racing calendar, including the prestigious Tour de France.
Initially, van der Poel took time off from training to allow the injury to heal, missing a key high-altitude camp that was intended to prepare him for the demands of the summer races. Despite the setback, reports from within his Alpecin-Deceuninck team suggested that his recovery was progressing faster than expected. Just a few days after the crash, he resumed indoor training, and within weeks he returned to competitive racing at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Speaking during the race, van der Poel admitted that while his wrist was not fully healed, he wasn’t experiencing significant pain and felt optimistic about his condition.
Medical staff overseeing his recovery were confident that the injury would not pose a long-term problem. Van der Poel’s performance at the Dauphiné confirmed those assessments, as he rode competitively and used the race as a key preparation step for the Tour de France. By early July, any lingering concerns over his fitness were firmly put to rest. Van der Poel stormed to victory on Stage 2 of the Tour, capturing the yellow jersey in front of an ecstatic crowd in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The win marked one of the most emotional moments of the 2025 cycling season, especially given the uncertainty surrounding his health just weeks earlier.
As the Tour progressed, van der Poel continued to demonstrate both resilience and brilliance. On July 10, during Stage 6, he once again claimed the yellow jersey in a dramatic battle against Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar, gaining just enough time to edge out his rival by a single second. His return to peak form has been hailed by fans and analysts alike as nothing short of remarkable. Far from being sidelined by injury, van der Poel has used the adversity as fuel for one of the most compelling comebacks in recent cycling history. With the Tour de France still unfolding, all eyes remain on the Dutch rider to see whether he can carry his momentum through the mountains and into Paris.
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