Mathieu van der Poel is an extremely talented cyclist but with great power comes great responsibility. The Dutch rider currently faces a tough decision which can change the course of his career, he is not yet certain if he will race the
Olympic Games' race on the road or Mountain Biking.
“It is not yet decided. We still have to make the puzzle. It's a really difficult combination, especially if you want to do the Tour de France as well," van der Poel said in an interview with the Olympics' website. "We have a few different scenarios on the table, but we have to see which one we're going to choose. I'll have to make choices, and I still have to think about it now.” It is a tough decision to make for a rider who is currently also the Cyclocross World Champion - who has just announced his calendar for the winter as he sets up to try and defend his title.
An Olympic mountain bike title has been on his mind for quite a while. That was the race he decided to do in the 2021 Tokyo event, but he crashed out early on. At the recent MTB World Championships the same happened. Whilst he is one of the strongest riders in the field, his crashes alongside inconsistent racing - due to his many other goals - see him lacking the points at the time being to have a good starting position. If he is to race off-road this summer, he will also have to put in a lot of focus throughout the year to get those necessary points.
“It's difficult to mix for sure, but I think that the mountain bike is before the road race is an easier combination than the other way around. I think if I want to really be at the top level, I have to do some more mountain bike races again," he is aware. However the road race suits him very well. World Champion in Glasgow this August, he should also be one of the top contenders for the title as the race is set to feature very long distances and a hilly course.
