Mathieu van der Poel has prompt that he’ll goal the Mountain Bike World Championships in 2025 as he targets a rainbow jersey in a fourth self-discipline.
The Dutchman collected his eighth elite world title on Sunday when he claimed victory on the Gravel World Championships in Leuven. He has gained the cyclocross world title six occasions, whereas he was highway world champion in Glasgow in 2023.
Though Van der Poel managed to say a bronze medal on a troublesome course in Zurich finally week’s highway Worlds, he’s much less satisfied of his prospects on subsequent yr’s arduous Kigali circuit, which options over 5,000m of climbing.
Van der Poel advised Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that he may as a substitute focus his 2025 rainbow ambitions on the Mountain Bike Worlds in Crans Montana in early September.
He was European cross-country champion in 2019, however a crash ruined his bid for Olympic gold in Tokyo. After some deliberation, he opted to race on the highway on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris.
“I don’t know if it’s price going to Africa,” Van der Poel advised AD. “I’ve by no means made a secret of the truth that I really need that mountain bike world title. It’s change into a bit troublesome as a result of highway racing has taken precedence.
“It will depend on how I can plan the season precisely, however it could be nice if I may lastly make it an actual objective.”
Van der Poel soloed to the gravel rainbow jersey on Sunday, coming dwelling greater than a minute away from Florian Vermeersch (Belgium). His 2024 successes embrace a sixth cyclocross world title in addition to victories on the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and E3 Harelbeke.
The 29-year-old additionally positioned on the rostrum of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however he is not going to line out at Il Lombardia this weekend and he has confirmed that the cobbled Classics will stay the centrepiece of his spring marketing campaign within the years forward.
