Mathieu van der Poel won't defend Amstel Gold Race title, according to his father
The young Dutchman will finish road racing after Paris-Roubaix to focus on mountain biking, with the Toyko Olympics in mind
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mathieu van der Poel will not defend his Amstel Gold Race title in 2020, according to his father.
The Corendon-Circus rider took the biggest win of his road career so far at the Ardennes classic, ambushing Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) on the finishing straight to snatch victory.
>>> Jumbo-Visma to jump up team rich list after budget increase for 2020 season
With a stacked 2020 schedule ahead of him, Van der Poel will race a shortened road season as he sets his sights on the Tokyo Olympics in the summer.
In an interview with Helden (opens in new tab), Adrie van der Poel confirmed his son will stop racing on the road following Paris-Roubaix on April 12th in order to re-focus on mountain biking, the event the young Dutchman will be targeting a gold medal in at the Games in Japan.
"Next season Mathieu will organise his season through to the Games differently than he did this year," Adrie van der Poel said. "After Paris-Roubaix he won't ride any more classics, which includes the Amstel Gold Race."
Van der Poel is expected to race Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan - San Remo in the early season, with the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix being the two one-day races where he will seriously target victory.
Corendon-Circus have said Van der Poel's exact plans could change however, although Amstel is definitely off the table as the team decided to pass on a wildcard invitation to the race earlier this month.
Following the Yorkshire Road World Championships, where the 24-year-old blew up spectacularly in the final kilometres as Denmark's Mads Pedersen claimed the rainbow bands, he soon bounced back upon his return to cyclocross.
Van der Poel won his third European cyclocross title in a row as he works towards defending his CX rainbow jersey in the new year.
In sadder news, Mathieu van der Poel's grandfather, Tour de France legend Raymond Poulidor, passed away last week, with the cycling world paying tribute.
The 83-year-old had been suffering from heart issues and was been admitted to hospital in October after reportedly feeling unweel since his summer VIP job at the Tour de France.
Thank you for reading 10 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
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
Pfeiffer Georgi wins Brugge-De Panne solo after aggressive race splits in crosswinds
Brit claims her first WorldTour win by out-foxing some of the fastest riders in the world
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
Kaden Groves sprints to victory on stage four of the Volta a Catalunya
Australian takes first win for new Alpecin-Deceuninck team ahead of Bryan Coquard
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel powers to Milan-San Remo victory with explosive Poggio attack
'This was my best level,' says Dutchman after Monument win
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig eyes Ardennes podiums and Tour de France Femmes result after strong start
The FDJ Suez rider is building up her form towards her season targets
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel hoping to race 'as aggressively' at Strade Bianche as 2021 victory
The 28-year-old says he has had "the perfect build-up" for Saturday's event
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Eight riders to watch in the men's Strade Bianche 2023
Wout van Aert sits out due to illness, opening the door for a potentially new winner in the Piazza del Campo
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Strade Bianche 2023: Start list information for the Italian classic's 17th edition
Taking a look at the men's and women's start lists for the Italian one day race
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Wout van Aert v. Mathieu van der Poel - a truly rare and iconic sporting rivalry
As the duo continue to trade blows on the biggest of stages, their rivalry will go down in history as one of cycle racings greatest
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Even Wout van Aert can lose his nerve: Five things we learned from the CX World Championships
Even with the absence of Tom Pidcock on the world stage, British cyclo-cross is in a good place
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adrie van der Poel reveals banter exchanged with Mathieu before CX World Championships
Van der Poel senior says that his sons cyclo-cross season has been ‘perfect’ preparation for a strong start to the cobbled classics
By Tom Thewlis • Published