📸 Van der Poel fights back: training again after heavy crash in Nové Město in preparation for the Tour de France

Van der Poel's long-awaited return to mountain biking did not go according to plan. He crashed hard in Nové Město, where he had already triumphed in 2019. The consequences were severe: the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was visibly shaken as he left the race.

Not long after, the verdict came: the Dutchman had suffered a fracture in his wrist when he crashed. This caused considerable concern among cycling fans, especially with the Tour de France just around the corner. It starts in five weeks, with several stages in the first week that suit van der Poel perfectly.

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His preparations for the Tour de France are now different than planned. The 30-year-old classics specialist is missing his first days of altitude training in La Plagne. It soon became clear that the Critérium du Dauphiné, which starts in two weeks, would also have to be removed from the schedule. However, there is some good news: Van der Poel shared hopeful images on Instagram.

They show him back on his bike, albeit only on rollers. With a brace on his wrist, he is training via Zwift, which offers some perspective for La Grande Boucle. After all, every cycling fan hopes to see van der Poel in top form at the start in Brittany. And the mountain bike world championships in Switzerland? There is no news on that yet, but anyone who knows van der Poel knows he will aim for his tenth rainbow jersey.