Optimism rises around Olympic LA double for Van der Poel

Technical director Wilbert Broekhuizen of the Dutch cycling federation is looking at the schedule with growing confidence. “There are five days between the mountain biking and the road races. So a combination is possible for Puck [Pieterse] and Mathieu, that is how we are looking at it,” he said to NOS.

For Van der Poel, the mountain bike remains unfinished business. In Tokyo, he crashed in the first lap and abandoned. Three years later, in Paris, he did not start at all. 

This year, he made another attempt to add a mountain bike world title to the rainbow jerseys he already holds in road, cyclocross and gravel, but that bid also ended in disappointment. Starting from the fifth row at the World Championships in Crans Montana, he briefly moved toward the front before fading to twenty-ninth place, later admitting he needed rest and would put the bike aside for a while.

Alongside his confidence in the schedule, Broekhuizen also reflected on what kind of road race would best suit the Dutch riders, pointing out that the race will start at Venice Beach. He hopes the finish will be kept in the same area.

“If there are a lot of vertical metres, then a few riders will be clear favourites, and Tadej Pogacar is one of them at the moment. We benefit from a course where the race can open up, a classic style course with a fast finish. That would be very good for Olav Kooij and also for Mathieu. Near Venice Beach, I do not see any mountains.”

A flatter finish would also work in favour of Lorena Wiebes. “But with the women, we can handle almost any terrain,” Broekhuizen added.

There are still options if the organisers want to add some climbing. “They could head towards Beverly Hills or Santa Monica. Our early assumption is that the course may use some of the roads from the Tour of California. There can be climbs in there, but it is not required,” he explained.

The published Olympic dates mean the Tour de France will almost certainly be brought forward in the calendar. It is not yet clear how far organiser ASO will adjust to the IOC programme, but one realistic option is a start on 23 or 24 June with a finish on Sunday, 16 July. That would create exactly one week between the end of the Tour and the Olympic road race. 

What looks far less feasible is any scenario in which a rider completes the Tour and then lines up for the Olympic time trial on 19 July.