"I have zero to no expectations" - Mathieu van der Poel cools talk surrounding Mountain Bike World Championships
Mountain Bike
After his stunning victory in Sunday's men's elite World Championships road race, Mathieu van der Poel will return to action, looking to double up with the Mountain Bike title. The Dutchman however, is trying his best to cool expectations.
"I have zero to no expectations, to be honest, for the mountain bike race," Van der Poel told Zwift in an interview in Glasgow. "I decided in La Plagne that I would give it a try, but in my head only the road race counted and my mind was only on the road race, to be honest. I will see how it goes and if it goes well it's nice. If it doesn't go well it's not even a disappointment because I don't really expect anything. It's been a long time since I've been on the mountain bike."
Van der Poel is considered by many to be one of the favourites for the title in a race that will also include fellow road stars Peter Sagan and Tom Pidcock. "It's just that if everything goes well and luck is on my side, I have a chance to qualify for the Olympics and that's the main reason why we decided to give it a go," says van der Poel.
"Anyway, I was here after the road so one more week in Scotland in this weather is not a punishment," he concludes.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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