Mathieu van der Poel will not be part of the Netherlands’ elite men’s squad for the 2025 Road World Championships, the KNWU confirmed on Monday. Instead, the team will be led by Thymen Arensman, who claimed two stage victories at this year’s Tour de France.
The Rwandan Worlds feature a demanding climbing route, making Arensman who triumphed in both the Pyrenees and the Alps this July, the natural leader, alongside experienced rider Bauke Mollema, a past Il Lombardia winner.
The women’s line-up, unveiled last week, includes top contenders Demi Vollering, Marianne Vos, and Anna van der Breggen.
According to sports director Koos Moerenhout, the men’s squad does not have a clear pre-race favorite in Van der Poel’s absence, but that could prove an advantage. “We don’t have one obvious leader, which gives us tactical flexibility,” he said. “Arensman has shown great form, and several others will also have the chance to race for results.”
The team also features Sam Oomen, Wout Poels, Frank van den Broek, and Koen Bouwman. Arensman will additionally contest the time trial on September 21. Moerenhout stressed the Dutch riders’ best chances will come from aggressive tactics, race-reading, and resilience on what he called one of the toughest courses in Worlds history.
Meanwhile, Van der Poel—World Champion on the road in 2023 has shifted his focus to the Renewi Tour (August 20–24), the Les Gets XCO World Cup (August 31), and potentially the Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, Switzerland, on September 14. However, his participation is uncertain after he contracted pneumonia during the Tour de France. “It’s on my program, but we’ll see how I recover,” he told Nieuwsblad, adding that he intends to increase his mountain bike racing in future to improve his Worlds starting position.
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