He wanted to send a message two weeks from the Worlds. By registering for the cross-country test cash for the seventh round From the mountain bike World Cup this Sunday in Gets, Mathieu Van der Poel intended to show that he would be ready in Switzerland in mid-September, despite his lack of competition in the discipline this season. Mission accomplished despite an almost unexpected sixth place given its starting position, in the middle of the package.
For a long time in contact, MVDP ended up being won, failing a minute from the winner, the French Luca Martin, who for the first time raised his arms on a World Cup stage.
For his second appearance of the season in the World Cup after the failure of November Mesto (Czech Republic), where he had fractured the scaphoid at the end of May, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor, who runs behind the only rainbow jersey missing from his immense record, reassured himself after a difficult departure.
Starting around the 50th position, Van der Poel quietly set the machine in the first round before pressing the accelerator. Classified 32nd at the start of the second loop, it was already replaced in 11th place at the end of the third, at 25 ″ from the leader Luca Martin.
Van der poel still a little too short
Launched at full speed under the sun of the Alpine station, “VDP” resumed contact with the lead group during the 5th round, after 45 minutes of intense efforts. The Dutch star, in drums in Gets, did not seem to undergo the backlash of his heavy preparation for the Worlds, even taking advantage of the puncture of the Canadian Cole Punchard to resume 4th place in a turn of the finish.
But each time the attraction of the weekend in Haute-Savoie found himself in a position to take the lead, his rivals managed to attack in the most technical portions, like the Baper placed by Luca Braidot at the start of the last loop. The seven-time world champion of cyclo-cross has ended up tidying up, assistant from afar at the explosive finish of Luca Martin, magnificent winner at home.
