Van der Poel sees opportunity in opening stage Dauphiné but warns about top favorite: "He’s the fastest of this bunch"

Van der Poel returned to mountain biking in the Czech Republic, getting back on a bike with thick tires for the first time in a year and a half. His goal of becoming world champion in that discipline began with the World Cup in Nove Mesto, but he crashed during his race to catch up (he had to start at the back). A second crash in the opening lap meant the end of the race, and later, a fracture in his wrist was diagnosed.

In normal circumstances, the 30-year-old Dutchman would have competed in the Critérium du Dauphiné, but the team could not say whether that would be possible. However, his recovery progressed well, and it was confirmed that he would be able to start in the French stage race. "Fortunately, I was able to resume training outside the house fairly quickly," van der Poel said in a press release. "The wrist is still a little sensitive, but there is no real pain anymore. I avoided training at full strength and sprints, which still felt like too much."

The former world champion will prepare for the Tour de France in France, where the first week is a major goal. With his sights set on Le Grand Départ, the Dauphiné is not a top priority, but participating without a chance of winning is not an option either. The first stage may already present an opportunity for the superstar. "I feel fit enough to be competitive. The goal is to get back into race mode and, if possible, try to win a stage. But it's mainly about building form for the Tour de France. That's the real priority."

The Critérium du Dauphiné starts on Sunday with a hilly stage from Domerát to Montluçon. With the Cote du Buffon 7 kilometers from the finish (600 meters at 8.8%), the final seems perfect for a strong Van der Poel. Tobias Bayer, Lars Boven, Michael Gogl, Xandro Meurisse, Johan Price-Pejtersen, and Gianni Vermeersch will support the winner of Milan-Sanremo in France.

At the start of the stage, Van der Poel revealed a little more about how he was feeling. His legs are good, but his wrist is still a question mark. "We'll see. The wrist is not 100%, but it is still ok; the only thing I did not do is all-out efforts. We will see how I feel today. Given the circumstances, I've been able to train well, so hopefully we can be in the mix today," he told Cycling Pro.

The course of the race and the condition of his injury are very important if the Dutchman wants to be at the front. He thinks Jonathan Milan has this stage circled in red, which will make it difficult. "I'll see how I feel, then I'll decide if I go for it. But Milan is the favorite; he's the fastest in this bunch. But maybe we can do something. I think it will be a sprint because the yellow jersey is also at stake today. So there will be control."