Mathieu van der Poel takes unconventional route to World Championships

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) is set to race the Skoda Tour of Luxembourg as he builds towards the World Championships road race.

The Tour de Luxembourg announced on Wednesday evening that the Dutchman will line up at the race for the second time in three years, and Van der Poel himself liked the post on social media. 

The 2026 edition will begin on September 16, taking place across five stages, and finishing just a week before the road race in Montréal, Canada, on September 27.

Van der Poel made his debut at the race in 2024, where he had an immediate impact, winning the opening stage before finishing second overall behind Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious).

Just a week later, he would finish third in the road race at the world championships in Zürich, Switzerland, behind Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Ben O’Connor (Jayco AlUla).

Van der Poel will arrive in Luxembourg this year after a recent focus on mountain biking. He finished 30th in the cross country World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, behind winner Tom Pidcock on Sunday.

His decision to race in Luxembourg stands out, with plenty of his rivals for the rainbow jersey looking to use the GP Québec and GP Montréal as preparation given that the Worlds are taking place in Canada.

Van der Poel's last road race was the final stage of the Tour de France, where he produced one of his most dramatic victories on the Champs-Élysées. 

He will be aiming for a perfect preparation in Luxembourg ahead of the Worlds, where he targets a second rainbow jersey in the elite men’s road race to add to the one he claimed in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2023.