Ai microphones by Sporza.be, Mathieu Van der Poel lets it be known that he hasn't forgotten about MTB, despite being since 2021 (after the bad fall at the Tokyo Olympics) who does not participate in an MTB race. The road always has a higher priority, but in cyclocross and MTB he wants to set himself ambitious goals: few but good, only as a champion would be able to do.
Mathieu van der Poel's 2023 season is taking shape and has three fixed points: winning a classic monument on the road, finishing the Tour de France (with a focus on individual stages) and the Road World Championship. But now there is the cyclo-cross world championship. At 27, the Dutchman has left behind the fact that he was a young talent and is now looking to enter cycling history permanently. His 2022 year has had its ups and downs and it is clear that he has failed to shine as he would have liked in the Tour de France. Even if he did it in the Giro d'Italia.


WITHDRAWAL IN SPAIN AND HYPOBARIC CHAMBER
Now Mathieu Van der Poel is on retreat in Spain, with the team, in a hotel with hypobaric chambers.
We had some already mentioned in this article: hypobaric chambers (or tents), also called hypoxic, are not really a training system. More realistically, they can be included in a training program to simulate high altitude situations even if you live at low altitudes. The Italian law (376/2000) considers them doping practices because they artificially alter natural processes such as the production of red blood cells by stationing the body at simulated altitude conditions by means of a compressor or by introducing nitrogen into the air which reduce the amount of oxygen in the environment (read more).
With this training method, Mathieu van der Poel can train quickly and with intensity. Although the cyclocross season isn't over, he already has a plan for the road season. But the focus now is on the cyclo-cross world championship. First real goal of 2023 where a very difficult opponent will be found, namely Wout Van Aert.
ROAD CALENDAR 2023 (PROVISIONAL)
4 March | Strade Bianche (Ita) |
6-12 March | Tyrrhenian-Adriatic (Ita) |
18 March | Milan-San Remo (Ita) |
2th April | Tour of Flanders |
9th April | Paris-Roubaix (Fra) |
11 18-June | Tour of Switzerland |
1-23 July | Tour of France |
6 august | World Cup in Glasgow (Sch) |
BACK PROBLEMS
Surely these problems have greatly influenced Mathieu van der Poel's latest results. In the last cyclocross races he suffered again.

Cycling is very demanding on the back. It is one of the most frustrating injuries of my sports career. Mainly because we can't find the cause. Lowering the training intensity and training the back muscles is the only remedy for now – Mathieu Van der Poel

CAPE EPIC AND PARIS 2024
Mathieu is still thinking about participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics:”I would like to compete in the Cape Epic. It's one of those races that I would like to do. But I see it after the Paris 2024 Olympics“. Despite his complete abandonment of MTB competitions since the Tokyo Olympics, Mathieu van der Poel still wants to compete in MTB until the Paris Olympics:”I will continue to compete in MTB until the summer of next year. I want to be at the Olympic Games again, in Paris 2024".
