Mathieu van der Poel to race gravel Worlds in first race since Australia incident
Dutchman joins other road stars Peter Sagan and Greg van Avermaet in Italy


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Mathieu van der Poel is set to ride the first UCI Gravel World Championships this weekend, his first race since pulling out of the road World Championships last month.
The Dutchman was pegged as a favourite for the road race in Wollongong, Australia, but was arrested after involved in an altercation with two teenage girls, who had been knocking on his hotel room door. He was charged with two counts of common assault and granted conditional bail; he was later fined $1,500AU (£910) and given permission to return to Europe.
On Monday, it was reported in the Dutch and Belgian press that Van der Poel would be taking part in the first World Championships on gravel, which take place in Veneto, Northern Italy on 8-9 October. Alpecin-Deceuninck later confirmed the news.
The Dutchman will ride the Worlds along with teammate Gianni Vermeersch, after which they will ride the Serenissima Gravel on the 14 October. Following this, they will start their cyclocross season.
"We are writing a bit of history on Sunday," Van der Poel said in a press statement. "For me my very first gravel race in my career. Although it is not completely new. I trained on the gravel bike for the first time today and it feels like something between road racing and cyclo-cross. The adaptation on the bike wasn't too bad."
He remains cautious about his ambition for now. "It's mainly fun to be there. And if the feeling is okay on Sunday, we will obviously do our best to get the best possible result."
Speaking to the media upon his return to Europe following the Australian incident, the Dutchman apologised and said he should not have acted as he did.
"Of course I'm sorry, I'm wrong too," he told Het Nieuwsblad. “I admit that honestly. I shouldn't have done that. I should have done it differently. Unfortunately, it did happen and I'm trying to put it behind me, and look ahead to what's to come.”
However, he also insisted: “Anyone who knows me knows that I have never hurt anyone. There's a lot of stories going around about pushing and stuff, that's absolutely not true and that's not what happened.”
The elite men will compete on Sunday over 190km, with the winner awarded rainbow bands for the first time in the discipline. Van der Poel will be joined by other stars of the road including Peter Sagan, Greg van Avermaet, and Daniel Oss.
Speaking to Cycling Weekly last month, Sagan said that he plans to compete in Italy in order to “give back to the people” that have supported him throughout his career including some of his sponsors Specialized, Sportful and 100% sunglasses.
The gravel worlds courses will use sterrato, similar to the surfaces seen in Strade Bianche, cobbles, and tarmac roads. Van der Poel won the 2021 edition of Strade Bianche in impressive style, and is the reigning Tour of Flanders champion, skills he will hope help him on gravel.
He is a four-time cyclocross world champion, which should give him the skills to take part.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
-
Cycling keeps you fit but are you doing enough to stay healthy?
It’s possible to be very fit in one specific way, for example being fast on a bike, while being unhealthy in other ways
By Joe Laverick Published
-
Dr Hutch: Motor-doping isn't rife, there's no way cyclists would use it discreetly enough
Some fans think that motor-doping is rife, but Cycling Weekly's columnist Dr Hutch is having none of it
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
Team USA announces all-star lineup for the UCI Gravel World Championships
With 23 elite riders led by Swenson and Stephens, Team USA hopes to claim a medal at the second-ever event in Italy
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Tweets of the week: Cobbles, barbecues, and what on earth is curry ketchup?
Strap in for our pre-Paris-Roubaix round-up of social media's finest
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Canyon goes titanium: German bike company begins prototype work with new metal
Brand working with new partner to develop sustainable ways of producing future titanium components, including frames
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
CW LIVE: Mathieu van der Poel spotted on prototype Canyon; Jumbo-Visma release new kit; Mark Cavendish spotted at Astana camp; Chantal van den Broek-Blaak 'tested positive' for diuretic in 2008
Everything you need to know in cycling this Tuesday
By Adam Becket Last updated
-
Beating Argentina like outsprinting Van Aert and van der Poel says World Cup coach
‘We were with Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogačar and we still crossed the line before them’ says Saudi Arabia coach Hervé Renard
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Biniam Girmay eyes Tour of Flanders and Tour de France success in 2023
After becoming first African rider to win Gent-Wevelgem, Girmay plans to take aim at the Tour of Flanders and other monuments next year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'Everyone is taking it seriously...it's a rainbow jersey'
US pro bike racer Lauren Stephens looks ahead to the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel's actions 'unbelievable', says father of Worlds assault victim
Dutchman admits he was "wrong" to get involved in situation in Australia
By Adam Becket Published