Tour de France participant Mathieu van der Poel withdraws due to pneumonia

Dutch resident clinches a stage victory and momentarily dons the yellow jersey in the initial week.

, and ASMedia

2025 August 30 . 9:47 PM

2 min read

Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel is forced to withdraw from the Tour de France due to pneumonia.

Tour de France participant Mathieu van der Poel withdraws due to pneumonia

Mathieu van der Poel Withdraws from Tour de France Due to Pneumonia, Focuses on MTB World Championships

Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch cyclist and member of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, has withdrawn from the 2025 Tour de France during stage 16 due to pneumonia, which he initially mistook for a common cold. After more than three weeks of recovery, including a training camp in Spain, he returned to racing in mid-August at the Profronde de Etten-Leur criterium in the Netherlands.

Van der Poel's Tour de France withdrawal temporarily disrupted his season, but he appears to be on track to shift focus to mountain biking soon. He is expected to participate in the XCO World Cup in Haute-Savoie, France, at the end of August as a preparation event for the Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland in September. This indicates that although the pneumonia forced him out of the Tour, van der Poel has planned a return to competition and is prioritizing the MTB World Championships as a key target for his late season.

During the Tour de France, van der Poel spent five days in the breakaway, won stage two to Boulougne-sur-Mer in the opening week, and came close to a second stage victory on stage 11 to Toulouse, finishing third. He also had time in the yellow jersey twice during the race. However, his health took a turn for the worse in the evening, leading to his hospitalisation in Narbonne. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and has been undergoing further medical examinations after his rest period.

It is expected that van der Poel will rest for at least one full week before resuming his training for the MTB World Championships. Despite the illness and potential impact on his plans, van der Poel's determination to compete in Switzerland remains unwavering. As a key attacker in the Tour de France, van der Poel's fans and supporters will eagerly await his return to the mountain bike scene.