# Mathieu van der Poel seasonal participation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mathieu-van-der-poel-seasonal-participation
> Updated: 2026-10-04T05:00:00.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

Professional cyclist Mathieu van der Poel has indicated he may skip the upcoming cyclocross season to prepare for the birth of his first child in January. Following a bronze medal performance at the World Championships in Montreal, his brother, David van der Poel, noted that the mental and time commitments of professional cyclocross may lead Mathieu to prioritize a quiet winter.

Subsequently, it was confirmed that Van der Poel will not participate in the European Road Cycling Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia. National coach Koos Moerenhout stated that the rider was explicit about his intention to end his competitive season following the World Championships. The decision also factors in the specific characteristics of the Ljubljana course, which favors climbers. As a result, the Netherlands will field a younger squad for the event.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-04: Mathieu van der Poel to miss European Cycling Championships

Mathieu van der Poel will miss the European Road Cycling Championships in Ljubljana, as he has already concluded his season. The Dutch team will instead field a younger squad for the event.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mathieu-van-der-poel-to-miss-european-cycling-championships

### 2026-09-29: Mathieu van der Poel may skip cyclocross season due to fatherhood

Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel may skip the 2026/27 cyclocross season to focus on the birth of his first child in January.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mathieu-van-der-poel-may-skip-cyclocross-season-due-to-fatherhood

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Cite as: Mathieu van der Poel seasonal participation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mathieu-van-der-poel-seasonal-participation