Mathieu van der Poel's road return confirmed - Dutchman makes surprising schedule decision before World Championships
CyclingThursday, 03 September 2026 at 13:44
Mathieu van der Poel's route to the 2026 World Championships just took a surprising turn after the Dutch rider confirmed his schedule for the coming weeks. Making his return to road racing after a brief stint in mountain-biking at the World Championships, it's the rainbow jersey on road that has his attention.
Van der Poel won the World Championships in 2023 in Glasgow after a late solo attack, but has endured disappointment in his quest to win a second title on the road. Now, he has taken an unexpected twist before the Championships, avoiding two major races in the lead-up.
The Dutchman has clarified his programme, opting to skip both Canadian WorldTour races in Quebec and Montreal and instead riding the Tour of Luxembourg. an der Poel will not be in action at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on September 11 and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal two days later.
With the World Championships taking place in Montreal on September 27th, the Canadian one-day races have gained added importance given the opportunity for riders to both recon the route and settle in the region in a dress-rehearsal for the World Championships showdown.
Mathieu van der Poel
Tour of Luxembourg before World Championships
The Alpecin-Premier Tech will instead ride the Tour of Luxembourg from September 16th to 20th, ensuring he will race until just a week before the big day. He faces a mixed route including hilly stages and a 20.5 kilometer time trial at the race.
The Dutchman comes off the back of his participation in the mountain-bike cross-country World Championships race, won by Tom Pidcock. He endured a day to forget, however, finishing in 30th at Val di Sole.
"I just didn't have any power in my legs today. It simply wasn't good," Van der Poel admitted afterwards. "I felt good last week and this week in training, but a mountain bike course doesn't lie."
Van der Poel's MTB disappointment
He added: "I realised quite early in the race that I had bad legs. That's why this performance is unexpected for me as well.
"It's the same story as last year. The race before the World Championships was good and at the World Championships itself I was bad. I don't have an explanation for that yet."
The pattern was strikingly similar to 2025, when Van der Poel also showed encouraging form before the World Championships only to finish 29th when the rainbow jersey was on the line. "Those bad results are starting to pile up a little now, that's true," he admitted.
"But last year I could feel it coming that I wasn't 100 percent at the World Championships. This time I expected a lot more from it. But I can't change anything about it now. Unfortunately, days like this happen too."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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