Worst day of my life: Mathieu van der  Poel shares worst experience as he Returns to Racing in the Netherlands After Tour de France Withdrawal” This return comes after one of the most dazzling seasons in van der Poel’s storied career. See full details..

Worst day of my life: Mathieu van der  Poel shares worst experience as he Returns to Racing in the Netherlands After Tour de France Withdrawal” This return comes after one of the most dazzling seasons in van der Poel’s storied career. See full details…

 

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is set to rekindle the racing flame in the Netherlands as he makes a triumphant—but carefully measured—return to competition following his abrupt exit from the Tour de France due to pneumonia .

The Disrupted Tour de France Narrative

Van der Poel’s 2025 Tour de France campaign began with all the hallmarks of a dominant season. The Dutchman surged into the spotlight by winning Stage 2 in a thrilling sprint against Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, subsequently earning and wearing the yellow jersey twice during the early parts of the race .

But just as the summer spectacle reached its midpoint, his fortunes took a sudden turn. What began as mild cold symptoms intensified during the second rest day ahead of the Mont Ventoux stage, culminating in a diagnosis of pneumonia. Medical evaluation confirmed the severity, and team and rider alike agreed that withdrawal was the only sensible choice: health must come first .

Road to Recovery

In the weeks following his departure from the Tour de France, van der Poel focused on recuperation. His recovery trajectory included a stint of outdoor training sessions in Spain alongside teammate Jasper Philipsen, which proved instrumental in regaining leg fitness and morale .

Conversations with team staff and Van der Poel himself suggested that, while fully healed, his competitive edge was carefully being recalibrated for a sustainable comeback rather than an immediate return to top-tier racing.

The Comeback: Profronde Etten-Leur

Now, that moment has arrived—with precision, and fittingly in his home country. As announced just yesterday, van der Poel will make his official return to racing at the Profronde Etten-Leur, an exhibition criterium in the Netherlands, scheduled for this coming Sunday .

Though a non-UCI event, the race is rich with tradition and local pride, and the organizers are thrilled to have him as their headline rider. As one statement lauded: “Four days in yellow, fighting for every second. The Tour’s star rider simply can’t miss out on this year’s race.”

What This Return Signifies

1. A Gesture of Resilience: After the physical setback of pneumonia, van der Poel’s entry at Etten-Leur conveys his readiness to compete again—yet on his own terms, with care for his health and form.

2. Reconnection with Fans: Racing in the Netherlands gives him a warmhearted homecoming, an opportunity to thrill local fans with flair and charisma, in a less pressured environment.

3. Seasonal Strategy Redirected: Van der Poel’s comeback isn’t aimed at salvaging missed Grand Tours or ambitious road targets. Rather, his focus now clearly shifts toward a new discipline: the Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland this September .

 

He will skip both the Vuelta a España and the Road World Championships, which reflects a carefully curated schedule better aligned with his long-term ambitions and physical condition .

Backdrop: An Electrifying Season Before the Illness

This return comes after one of the most dazzling seasons in van der Poel’s storied career. Highlights include:

Milan–San Remo: He clinched his second victory at the Monument, sprinting past Ganna and Pogačar in a tense finale.

Paris-Roubaix: Van der Poel etched his name into cycling lore as the third rider ever to win three consecutive editions—with a commanding solo move that defied crashes and chaos.

Cyclo-cross dominance: He added a seventh elite world title to his belt in 2025, reinforcing his place as one of the sport’s greatest all-rounders.

Yet it wasn’t a smooth flight. A mountain bike comeback in Nove Mesto was halted by crashes and a serious wrist injury—risking his entire Tour preparation. Despite this, he battled back to ride strongly in the Critérium du Dauphiné, proving form was returning and silencing sceptics.

Why the Return Matters

Human Element: The journey from yellow-jersey glory to pulling out mid-race is wrenching; van der Poel’s return is a human story of setback and recovery, of humility and strength.

Tactical Reset: Pivoting toward mountain biking shifts the narrative—to chase a new title and broaden his cycling legacy beyond road and cyclo-cross.

Long-term Vision: Eschewing late-season targets allows him to aim fresh at September’s Mountain Bike World Championships—another arena where he has championship pedigree.

Looking Ahead

At Etten-Leur, expectations are measured. This will be about rhythm, connection, and emotion. It may not feature UCI points or Tour de France stakes—but what it lacks in prestige, it makes up for in significance, spirit, and symbolism.

After this milestone, van der Poel will channel his energy entirely toward the Mountain Bike Worlds in Switzerland. There’s something poetic in timing his comeback this way—first a friendly criterium in his homeland, then a grand return to world-class competition in the autumn woods and trails.

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Conclusion

Mathieu van der Poel’s comeback at the Profronde Etten-Leur isn’t just the return of a competitive force—it’s a statement of grace, resilience, and clarity of purpose. After illness struck at the pinnacle of the Tour de France, he opted for health, rest, and recalibration.

Now, as he takes the start in this Dutch criterium, he steps back into the limelight—on his own terms, with his eyes set on another world title, this time on the mountain bike. It’s a brilliant narrative arc for a rider who has already excelled in nearly all cycling disciplines. And regardless of what the final kilometers in September bring, this return is already a defining chapter in his extraordinary career.