Mathieu van der Poel deals with Mountain Bike World Championships disappointment in his usual way
CyclingWednesday, 02 September 2026 at 10:19
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleMathieu van der Poel returned to Belgium after the 2026 Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole. The Dutch rider gave a sign of life on Tuesday evening by sharing two photos from his day. He posted them in his now-familiar way.
ADVERTISEMENT
On Tuesday, Van der Poel headed to the golf course with some friends—a popular spot to take his mind off things. He’s already dealt with several ups and downs regarding his performance on the bike, including after the World Championships. That evening, he had dinner with his girlfriend Roxanne at a restaurant in Schilde.
The World Championships did not go as Van der Poel had hoped. In Sunday’s Cross Country race, he started from the fifth row, and unlike eventual winner Tom Pidcock, he was unable to work his way up through the field.
Van der Poel got stuck and ultimately finished outside the top 30. “I didn’t have any power in my legs today. It just wasn’t good at all. I felt good in training last week and this week. But a mountain bike course doesn’t lie,” he said afterward.
Read more below the photo
Mathieu van der Poel at the World Championships
Van der Poel eyes World Championships but thinks about Pogačar
Van der Poel doesn't have much time to mourn, as he's returning to road racing with Alpecin-Premier Tech and has another important event coming up in Canada in September. There, Van der Poel hopes to compete on a punchy course for the world cycling title.
It is not yet known whether Van der Poel will compete on the road before the World Championships. It is also unclear who his main rivals will be in Montréal, now that Tadej Pogacar appears to be out of the running as the top favorite following a crash in the Vuelta a España.
Van der Poel said after the World Championships that he hopes the Slovenian will still be there as the defending champion. “When I started the Vuelta on Saturday, he had just hit the ground. It was a very unfortunate crash; you can tell by the injuries.”
"It's up to him and his team to see if the World Cup is feasible. Looking at his injuries, it seems unlikely to me, but you never know. After a broken collarbone, it’s certainly possible to be back on the bike after four weeks. But with that cervical vertebra fracture and the concussion on top of it, it’s a different story."
Read also
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
IDL-productions
Quinn Simmons and Kristen Faulkner lead Team USA’s stacked Road World Championships squad, but some riders aren't happy
2026 Vuelta a España route | The final two weeks of the Tour of Spain are anything but easy
Love cycling and looking for an internship? Join IDL Pro Cycling!
From the Scottish Borders to 4th place in Monaco: the rapid rise of Vuelta a España debutant Callum Thornley
The British Invasion: Brennan, Hayter, Tarling, and Thornley put the Brits front and centre at the Vuelta a España
Latest Cycling News
2026 Vuelta a España stage 11 preview | Another chance for the fast men to lock horns
Team USA World Cycling Championships selection sparks criticism: 'Let’s not pick the guys who’ve won races'
Quinn Simmons and Kristen Faulkner lead Team USA’s stacked Road World Championships squad, but some riders aren't happy
2026 men's Tour of Britain preview | Puncheurs and sprinters go head-to-head on Britain's leg-sapping roads
15-year-old boy identified as a suspect in the assault on Tudor rider Arvid de Kleijn
Popular Cycling News
Cycling transfers 2026/2027 | The 2027 cycling transfer market is still in full swing
2026 Vuelta a España start list & dropouts | INEOS's Sprinter Ben Turner retires in race that should have suited him
Vuelta a España 2026 Standings | Wout van Aert strengthens his grip on the green jersey
2026 Vuelta a España route | The final two weeks of the Tour of Spain are anything but easy
Mathieu van der Poel totally bummed after the Mountain Bike World Championships: ‘I still don’t have an explanation for that’
Latest Comments
- - Pedersen’s engine usually purrs on these power finishes; being 163rd says the virus is still in him. Aguanta un poco, Mads—mejor cuidarte para Montreal.robert6501-09-2026
- - Great call by Lidl-Trek to let Nys sprint for third. Under normal circumstances this is Mads’ terrain, but adapting mid-race is what top squads do. Tronchon’s win was wild—who had that on their bingo card?davidm01-09-2026
- - Can someone explain why he’d stay in the race if he’s poorly? Doesn’t that make the World Championships prep worse, not better?velodromevirtuoso101-09-2026
- - Is a sore throat really enough to lose 12 minutes, though? Wonder if there’s more going on than the team’s letting on. Feels a bit glossed over.lindae01-09-2026
- - Tough break for Mads. You could see from Stage 8 he still had the kick, but Stage 10 looked like the illness really bit. Smart to prioritise Montreal if the throat doesn’t clear—no point burying himself in the Vuelta.sprocketspiny01-09-2026
- Yes, Pogi has won five Tour de France's. He won in 2020/21/24/25/26. Jonas has won two in 2022/23. Pogi also has 13 monuments he has won. Details on a quick Google search or go to procyclingstats.com.qpshealing01-09-2026
- - Great read, but the article mixes up the Worlds timeline a tad. MvdP beat Wout in Glasgow; Pog was third. He hasn’t won the last two road worlds—did you mean GP Montréal twice? Clarify please. Still, allez Mathieu! Vamos!raceready701-09-2026
- - People forget MvdP’s MTB grid spots always hamstring him; it’s not like he lost pure legs. Start loop chaos decides half the race in Val di Sole. Bring on skinny tyres—defending champ vibes in Canada, even if it’s a different profile than Glasgow.pedalpowe2901-09-2026
- - Hoping Pog is okay—collarbone plus a vertebra and a concussion is no joke. Even if he lines up, hard to see him at 100%. GP Montréal history says he loves that parcours though.michael5401-09-2026
- - Wait, if Pogačar won the last two Worlds “by a wide margin,” were those road worlds or something else? I thought Glasgow 2023 was MvdP’s rainbow jersey on the road. Bit confused there.patriciaw01-09-2026
Loading