Mathieu van der Poel narrowly avoided a pre-season disaster in training at the weekend, almost crashing as he sprinted against an amateur but miraculously managing to keep his bike up.
With the cameras rolling, an Instagram video posted by Anatole Leboucher – who will ride for Continental team Veloce Club Rouen 76 in 2026 and offered up the playful challenge to the Dutch star – shows an initial sprint by Van der Poel abandoned after his back wheel lifted off the ground and he dropped his chain.
