Van der Poel a contender as Netherlands Eyes Mountain Bike World Cup Gold 30 Years After Historic Win
CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND – Mathieu van der Poel is being viewed as a serious contender for gold at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans-Montana, with both his national coach and betting markets indicating strong possibilities for a Dutch victory.This comes three decades after Bart Brentjens secured the Netherlands’ first-ever world title in mountain biking in 1995.
The absence of Olympic champion Tom Pidcock, currently competing in the vuelta a España, has leveled the playing field, creating an open race where multiple riders are considered capable of winning or finishing in the top five. According to former Dutch rider Gerben de Knegt, now a coach, Van der Poel’s recent performance and self-belief position him as a key athlete to watch. “His sixth place in Les Gets, and especially the course there, has convinced me that it is really possible.And he is convinced of it himself,” de knegt stated.
The demanding course,featuring ten-minute laps over nine rounds for a total race time of approximately 90 minutes,favors riders who can maintain a strong pace over a prolonged period. De Knegt believes this plays to Van der Poel’s strengths, particularly his ability to push hard on extended climbs. ”On the road, Mathieu is not a pure climber. But thes are three-minute climbs. They lean against the Flemish slopes. They are all decided by driving a lot in red. And that is something Mathieu really can do very well,though.”
Van der Poel himself acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “Hopefully a lot, but that is of course a question mark, also for me. Hopefully it will be a good day and a good result.” The race is expected to be closely contested,with the length potentially becoming a deciding factor as riders battle for position throughout the demanding course.
