The Dutch champion will be absent on Sunday in Dendermonde due to rib pain. The World Cup is not at risk for now
Nothing to do, Mathieu Van der Poel still remains in the pits. The 29-year-old Dutch world champion (cross and gravel) from Alpecin-Deceuninck had started the cross season in style, with five successes out of five, before withdrawing from the Baal race on January 1st and Koksijde today due to severe pain in his ribs. And again today, Mvdp also announced his absence from Sunday’s World Cup event in Dendermonde, where he was also supposed to challenge arch-rival Van Aert. “I tried, but nothing happened. Now I have to be patient,” he said. The rest of the winter program, in particular the assault on the seventh World Cup in Lievin (France) on February 2, is not at risk for now.