“It’s a shame” – Pidcock snubs Mathieu van der Poel showdown at mountain bike World Championships

Two-time Olympic mountain bike world champion Tom Pidcock will battle for the rainbow jersey at the 2025 Short Track and Cross Country Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland from September 9 to 14. The Briton, who claimed the title in 2023, is prioritizing the road with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and will line up at the Vuelta a España instead, meaning fans will miss a much-anticipated clash with Mathieu van der Poel on the trails.

“It's a shame, because I would have loved to participate, especially to battle Mathieu. But I want to focus more on the road, and we're rebuilding with our team. So it makes sense for me to ride the Vuelta,” Pidcock told De Telegraaf. Since his move from INEOS Grenadiers, Pidcock has already raced the Giro d’Italia and many other races this season. On August 23, he will roll out from Turin for his second Vuelta a España, the race he made his grand tour debut in in 2021.

Pidcock’s early months with Q36.5 were promising, though the Giro brought a quieter showing, with no stage wins or GC contention. He has not won a Grand Tour stage since Alpe d’Huez at the 2022 Tour de France three years ago, but he heads to Spain with stronger preparation and the hope of a better outcome. His 2025 campaign has already included victory in a stage of the Arctic Race of Norway last weekend, two stage wins and the overall title at the AlUla Tour, a stage at the Ruta del Sol, plus podium finishes at Strade Bianche (2nd behind Tadej Pogacar) and La Flèche Wallonne (3rd).

But, it is true that it feels like Pidcock needs a big performance at the Vuelta. For his exceptional talent across multiple-disciplines, it is time for him to start performing on the biggest stages on the road.

Van der Poel, meanwhile, will chase the MTB rainbow jersey instead of the road world title this year. Pidcock still rates the Dutchman highly. “Mathieu might not be having the best time on the mountain bike, but if he sets his mind to something, you know he'll eventually succeed,” he said. Van der Poel has collected seven cyclocross world titles, one road race rainbow, and one in gravel. The MTB crown remains his most coveted prize.

Back in March, Van der Poel admitted to Helden magazine, “It would be really cool to become world champion mountain biking one day. That feels like the last piece of the puzzle of my career. I would really like to tick off that title. If I stop and the world title in mountain biking is missing, that would be the only thing I would think at the moment: too bad. For the rest, it doesn't really matter to me.”

Pidcock enjoys going head-to-head with him. “Normally, he's among the world's best, and that's why I enjoy racing against him. Yes, I might have some prizes he'd love to win, but Mathieu is way ahead of me in terms of major road victories. He's won nine Monuments and world titles in three different disciplines: cyclocross, gravel, and the best of all: road. I'd really love to win the road.”

Looking ahead, Pidcock knows his road ambitions will require progress. “My time trial still needs to improve a lot, but maybe I can aim for a top ten. Being on the podium of a Grand Tour would be amazing, but winning a Grand Tour is the hardest thing in the world for me. I know what it's like to win a one-day race, but a Grand Tour? Phew, that's a different story.”