🎥 Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel prepare for battle at 2026 Mountain Bike World Championships

Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock turned out Friday afternoon for the first course reconnaissance of the XCO Cross Country race at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole. The Dutchman and the Brit are considered major stars on the road, but are also favorites to finish near the top in the mountain bike race.

Van der Poel competed in the Short Track and Cross Country races last weekend in Les Gets, France, as a test before Sunday’s World Championships. On Thursday, the Dutch rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech skipped the Short Track race because he couldn’t secure a better starting position for Sunday’s Cross Country race.

Analysts also highlighted Van der Poel’s priorities, as he has set winning a world title in mountain biking as his main goal for the coming years. In Val di Sole, he’ll get his second chance, after Van der Poel also competed in the World Championships last year but finished only 29th.

Pidcock has already clinched a world title in mountain biking. The 26-year-old Brit from Pinarello-Q36.5 has a much more impressive track record than Van der Poel in MTB, whereas on the road it’s the other way around. Pidcock had already become world champion in the U23 category on the mountain bike and repeated that feat in 2023 in the elite men’s category. A year later, he finished third in the battle for the rainbow jersey.

Pidcock has also been crowned European and Olympic mountain bike champion twice and has racked up 22 victories. This year, however, he only competed in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic), as his focus was primarily on road racing—and the Tour de France in particular. Incidentally, Pidcock won right away in Nove Mesto.

So there’s a pretty good chance he’ll win in Val di Sole on Sunday. Or will Van der Poel take the title? Or will the red-hot French pairing of Adrian Boichis and Luca Martin spoil the party? It's going to be a hell of a race!