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Matilda Price

'I don't care that much about other opinions' – Mathieu van der Poel still aiming at mountain bike world title despite Nové Město crashes

HARELBEKE BELGIUM MARCH 28 Mathieu Van Der Poel of Netherlands and Team Alpecin Deceuninck competes during the 68th E3 Saxo Bank Classic Harelbeke 2025 a 2088km one day race from Harelbeke to Harelbeke UCIWT on March 28 2025 in Harelbeke Belgium Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has said that becoming cross-country mountain bike world champion "remains the goal" despite a crash-marred return to the discipline in Nové Město last month that left him with a DNF and a wrist injury.

The Dutchman headed to Nové Město, Czechia to race his first mountain bike World Cup in four years in May, but things did not go to plan when two crashes saw him abandon the XCO race and take home a wrist injury. 

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