"It’s good for the sport that Mathieu is joining in": Alan Hatherly welcomes Van der Poel's MTB ambitions

The Mountain Bike World Cup took place in Nove Mesto this weekend, but one of the sport's biggest names was absent from the start list. We are talking about reigning World Champion Alan Hatherly, who is currently making his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia with Team Jayco AlUla. The 30-year-old gave an interview in which he opened up about his late-career transition to the road, his upcoming title defense, and the realities of balancing two demanding disciplines alongside Mathieu van der Poel.

Hatherly surprised many when he signed with WorldTour Jayco AlUla in early 2025 while wearing the mountain bike rainbow stripes. The transition was an instant success; he took sixth overall at the AlUla Tour, performed well in European stage races, and still managed to defend his mountain bike world title in Crans Montana later that season.

This year, he has continued improving, securing sixth in the Tirreno-Adriatico time trial and third overall at Coppi e Bartali before heading to the Giro. For Hatherly, the move to the road was basically mandatory in order to avoid stagnation.

"It was mainly a matter of stepping out of my comfort zone," Hatherly explained in an interview to In de Leiderstrui. "I've spent my entire career mostly mountain biking, so at a certain point, I started asking myself what I needed to do to take another step forward. The most logical move for me was to try it on the road. So far, I'm really enjoying the process."

His absence from the mountain bike scene won't last long, though. As soon as the Giro wraps up, the South African will switch bikes immediately to prepare for his next big objective. "After the Giro, I will immediately focus on mountain biking again, hoping to defend my world title in Val di Sole. After that, I’ll return to the road, but I find it a very fun switch. The way I’m approaching it now constantly provides fresh energy. If you do just one discipline all year round, I don’t know if you keep the fire burning."

When Hatherly arrives at the World Championships later this year, he will likely cross paths with Mathieu van der Poel, who is still chasing an elusive elite mountain bike world title. Hatherly welcomes the road superstar's presence but acknowledges that Van der Poel faces the same steep uphill battle he does when trying to conquer both worlds.

"It’s good for the sport that Mathieu is joining in and genuinely has goals here. I think he views it similarly to how I do: you’re looking for challenges for yourself and trying to grow," Hatherly analyzed. "The combination suits him well, but the MTB Worlds haven't been very fruitful for him so far. If luck is a bit more on his side, it could easily happen."

However, Hatherly was quick to point out that even for a talent like Van der Poel, splitting focus always comes at a cost. "His primary focus is now on the road and he takes on mountain biking alongside it, but if you want to be successful, you have to make choices somewhere. I also notice that it is difficult to be tip-top at both; you are always making a compromise somewhere."