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Mathieu van der Poel finishes second in comeback at mountain bike World Cup

After finishing eleventh in the short track, Van der Poel achieved a strong second place in the cross country.

23 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Mathieu van der Poel finishes second in comeback at mountain bike World Cup — Photo: filip bossuyt · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Mathieu van der Poel made a strong comeback in the mountain bike World Cup, where he finished in second place. This followed a less successful race on Friday, where he ended up in eleventh place in the short track.

During the cross-country race on Sunday, Van der Poel had to acknowledge the superiority of young Frenchman Adrien Boichis, who secured the victory. However, Van der Poel demonstrated resilience and performed significantly better than in his previous race.

In his reaction to the race, Van der Poel noted that winning at this location, compared to, for example, the Champs-Élysées, presents a greater challenge. He stated that he lacked the final strength to claim victory.

Nevertheless, Van der Poel expressed satisfaction with his performance. This comeback is a positive development for the rider, given the recent challenges he has faced.

Van der Poel's performance has attracted the attention of media and fans, and there is growing interest in his upcoming races and chances to further improve his results.

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