Mathieu van der Poel on the possibility that he might retire from cycling in 2.5 years: 'A great age'

Mathieu van der Poel is 31 years old and in the prime of his life. He’s heading into the Tour de France as the team leader for Alpecin-Premier Tech, coming off a spring season in which he was once again in contention for victory in the biggest Monuments. Still, we’d better really enjoy watching Van der Poel race right in the 2026 Tour de FRance, because it’s not certain he’ll still be around after 2028.

During the Tour de Suisse, Van der Poel joined a small group of Dutch and Belgian cycling journalists, and one of the topics of conversation was his current standing in the road peloton. With 60 victories to his name, a rainbow jersey in his trophy case, a win at Milan-Sanremo, and three victories each at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, he has long been among the world’s absolute best.

Van der Poel also won the Amstel Gold Race, Strade Bianche, the E3 Saxo Classic multiple times, Dwars door Vlaanderen twice, and a whole host of stages in stage races and other one-day races. Matje has already won a stage and worn the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia, and in the Tour de France he has won two stages, resulting in several days in the yellow jersey.

"Everything is a plus. There’s nothing left to prove. My career has already been more than successful," he remarked in an interview with the NOS in the run-up to the 2026 Tour de France. He made the same comments when he sat down for an interview during the Tour de Suisse. Because although there are still some gaps to fill in his road racing record, his biggest goals have been checked off the list.

Van der Poel was therefore perfectly capable of handling a spring season without a victory in a Monument. In recent years, he had virtually always come out on top in Roubaix, and he was also dominant for a long time in the Tour of Flanders. However, with the arrival of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG) in the classics, things have changed somewhat.

"I knew there would come a year when it wouldn't work out. I'm realistic enough to know that. It may have become a little too much of a given that I'd win a Monument. But of course, that's not how it works," said MVDP, who faced a formidable Pogacar in Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders. Wout van Aert of Visma | Lease a Bike won Paris-Roubaix.

Still, Van der Poel was “among the best in the race,” rode perhaps his “best Roubaix ever,” and there’s “the weight difference” with Pogacar. After several years of success, there were plenty of mitigating factors to consider this spring. For instance, he was able to blame a crash in Milan-Sanremo and two flat tires at Paris-Roubaix for a lack of result there.

His motivation for the coming years remains incredibly strong, but Van der Poel has never made a secret of the fact that he has another goal as well. In addition to the eight world titles he has already won in cyclocross, the Dutchman is also eager to make a big splash in mountain biking. He has already won the European Championship, but he hasn’t yet succeeded at the World Championships or the Olympic Games on his mountain bike.

To make that possible, there is currently a firm deadline, which is approaching much faster than cycling fans might realise. Van der Poel’s contract with Alpecin-Premier Tech expires at the end of 2028. “For me, that’s the end of the road for now. I haven’t looked any further ahead yet. I think 2028 could be a nice way to wrap up my career. I’ll be 33 then—a great age.”

But there is one important caveat: “That’s not set in stone; we’ll see if I’m still at that level by then and if I still enjoy it. But I think it could be a nice way to end things.” Because Van der Poel is looking forward to 2028, the year of the Games in Los Angeles. There, he wants to go for a medal in mountain biking, after a spring season on the road. “I’ll skip the Tour then, because I think it’ll be my last chance.”

The Mountain Bike World Championships are also a goal, though they won’t be a top priority this August in Val di Sole, Italy. Van der Poel definitely wants to complete the Tour de France and hopes that a quick three-week preparation period will get him ready for the mountain bike race. “I do believe I can still do it; otherwise, I wouldn’t even try.”

"Gold in LA to cap off my career? That would be wonderful, but it's going to be a tough challenge."