Mathieu van der Poel remains cautiously optimistic as he edges closer to a competitive return following his abrupt withdrawal from the Tour de France due to pneumonia. The Dutch star has admitted that doubts still linger about his full recovery, acknowledging that weeks away from racing have left him uncertain about how his body will respond under pressure. In a bid to test his form before the crucial XCO World Championships next month, Van der Poel has decided to insert an additional road race into his program, marking a measured yet ambitious step back into competition.
His comeback will begin this Sunday at the Profronde Etten-Leur, a popular criterium in the Netherlands that will serve as a low-pressure opportunity to gauge his condition against familiar faces in front of a home crowd. However, the real litmus test will come later in the month when he lines up for the Renewi Tour, formerly known as the Benelux Tour, running from August 20 to 24. This WorldTour stage race will put him through a more demanding set of challenges, including the famed Muur van Geraardsbergen, to see if his form can hold up across multiple days of intense racing.
Van der Poel’s decision to race on the road before tackling the XCO Worlds in Switzerland on September 14 underscores his meticulous approach to recovery. Rather than diving straight into the mountain bike season’s biggest event, he is choosing to build confidence, sharpen race rhythm, and assess his limits in a controlled yet competitive environment. While he admits there is still uncertainty, these calculated steps suggest that he is determined to arrive at the World Championships as prepared as possible, with both his body and mind ready to fight for the rainbow jersey.
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