“Hopefully not back on the ground" – Mathieu van der Poel jokes ahead of MTB return after crash-marred comeback

After a bruising return to the MTB circuit earlier this season, Mathieu van der Poel is officially lining up for another go — this time at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets at the end of August. But in typical MVDP fashion, the Dutchman couldn't resist injecting a bit of humour into the announcement.

Reacting to the UCI’s Instagram post confirming his participation, Van der Poel replied dryly: “Hopefully not back on the ground.”

A short, sharp nod to the carnage that marked his last mountain bike appearance — and a reminder that even cycling’s most versatile superstar isn’t immune to a rough day off-road.

Van der Poel’s return to the MTB grid in Nové Město back in May was eagerly anticipated. After all, his technical brilliance and explosive power have made him a perennial threat on any terrain — be it cobbles, cross, or climbs. But what unfolded in the Czech Republic was a rare case of MVDP looking mortal on two wheels.

He hit the deck early in lap one, attempting a high-risk pass in heavy traffic — the kind of move that speaks to his aggressive style, but one that simply didn’t come off this time. Shaken but undeterred, Van der Poel remounted, only to suffer a far heavier crash on the washboard section a lap later — a technical feature he’d normally breeze through with ease.

That second fall brought his race — and his short-lived MTB comeback — to an abrupt end. A fractured scaphoid confirmed shortly after meant a premature halt to his off-road ambitions, at least for a while.

Despite the wrist injury, Van der Poel bounced back quickly on the road — another testament to his resilience and deep racing engine. Yet the MTB itch was clearly not fully scratched. Les Gets, then, marks both redemption and risk. A known quantity on the World Cup calendar, the course combines high-speed descents, slick technical sections, and lung-busting climbs — all in a setting that rewards bike handling flair as much as fitness. For Van der Poel, it’s an ideal venue to reset the narrative.

With the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships fast approaching, and Van der Poel widely expected to mount a serious challenge, every race now serves as crucial preparation — for form, rhythm, and confidence ahead of his latest Rainbow Jersey quest.