Returning to the racing scene after his departure from the Tour de France, Mathieu van der Poel will participate in a criterium event in the Netherlands.
Mathieu van der Poel, the Tour de France's yellow jersey recipient, is set to make a comeback to competition at the Profronde Etten-Leur exhibition event this Sunday. The Dutch cyclist, racing for Alpecin-Deceuninck, has been in recovery since leaving the Tour de France due to pneumonia.
Van der Poel's upcoming events include the Renewi Tour, scheduled for August 20–24, 2025, and the Mountain Bike XCO World Cup in Les Gets on August 31, 2025. He is also expected to compete in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships elite men's XCO race in Valais, Switzerland, on September 14, 2025.
Notably, Van der Poel will not race in the 2025 Road World Championships. Instead, his focus is shifting towards off-road racing, particularly mountain biking, this late summer and early fall. His participation in the Mountain Bike World Championships is expected to be a focus of his 2025 season.
Thymen Arensman, another Tour de France stage winner, and Tim Wellens, another Tour de France stage winner, will also participate in the Profronde Etten-Leur. Joining the male riders, Lotte Kopecky, the world champion, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, winner of the Tour de France Femmes, will also compete in the event.
Van der Poel's impressive performance at the Tour de France saw him win four stages and wear the yellow jersey twice. However, his common cold symptoms worsened significantly during the second rest day of the Tour de France, leading to his withdrawal. After being diagnosed with pneumonia, he has been training in Spain in recent weeks to regain his fitness.
The Mountain Bike World Championships will take place in Switzerland in September, marking Van der Poel's return to competition while primarily focusing on mountain biking after an illness-affected Tour. Tadej Pogačar won the overall Tour de France in Van der Poel's absence, but the Dutch cyclist is eager to make his mark in the off-road racing scene.
In the Profronde Etten-Leur, Mathieu van der Poel will once again take to the starting line, ready to demonstrate his resilience and determination in the face of adversity. The race promises to be an exciting event, with some of the world's top cyclists competing. Stay tuned for updates on Van der Poel's progress in the upcoming races.
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