The Dutch rider secured a tenth-place finish in his first mountain bike race in nearly two years, though the chaotic return caused him immediate physical discomfort just a week before the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
Van der Poel Dodges Crash in Mountain Bike Return
Traffic Jams and Reflexes on the French Slopes
The return to off-road racing proved instantly perilous. The evasive action strained his body.
“It was really quite painful,” Van der Poel told reporters in Les Gets, describing the physical toll of his emergency reflex. The Dutch rider noted that the effort required to muscle the bike away from trouble “did more pain than I cared for,” though he managed to stay upright and keep driving forward.
Weighing a Top-Ten Engine Against Technical Rust
Despite the close call and the physical shock of high-intensity mountain biking after a prolonged absence from the dirt, the Dutch rider raced his way to a tenth-place finish.
Coming into the race, cycling observers highlighted how recent alterations to mountain bike starting regulations could benefit multi-discipline champions like Van der Poel by easing front-row access or grid penalties accrued from road racing commitments. While the technical rust was evident on the steep French slopes, his engine capacity carried him through the heavy traffic of the short-track circuit.
Final Preparations for the World Championships
With the Les Gets World Cup weekend acting as the final major test, Van der Poel turns his focus entirely toward the upcoming UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The Dutch rider will use the remaining days to recover from the physical strain of his comeback before heading to the start gates for the championship cross-country events.
