Following his victory in Tabor on Sunday, where he clinched his sixth cyclocross world title, Mathieu van der Poel has closed the chapter on his winter season. The Dutch star is now transitioning to road racing for 2024, with a potential start in mid-March. After securing his 161st elite 'cross win and successfully defending the rainbow jersey, he is currently enjoying a week of skiing. It is possible that his first major appearance won't be until March 16, as he seeks to retain his title at Milan-San Remo. Initially, it was thought he would debut at the Volta ao Algarve between February 14 and 18, potentially competing against Tom Pidcock, Wout van Aert, and Remco Evenepoel.
Mathieu van der Poel’s winter campaign has come to an end after winning his sixth cyclocross world title in Tabor on Sunday, and the Dutchman is now preparing for the 2024 road season, which may begin in mid-March. Van der Poel is taking a week off skiing following the dominant defense of his rainbow jersey, his 161st elite ‘cross victory, and may not return until March 16 to defend his Milan-San Remo title. The Volta ao Algarve (February 14-18) had previously been suggested as his season-opening race, alongside Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, and Tom Pidcock.
That initial plan—which would have seen him ride Tirreno-Adriatico (March 4-10), Milan-San Remo, and the April cobbled classics, finishing with Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders—appears to have been scrapped. Reports from Het Nieuwsblad indicate that Van der Poel and the Alpecin-Deceuninck team are still finalizing his starting point. That said, it seems highly probable that his 2024 season will begin on Italian soil.
The Belgian team is expected to announce the final decision before February ends. While Strade Bianche (March 2) and other Italian World Tour races are under consideration, Het Nieuwsblad notes that San Remo is the most likely starting line, especially since Van der Poel secured his third career victory there last year.
As the reigning world champion, the Italian classic is a top priority as he looks to expand his trophy cabinet while wearing the rainbow stripes. Other major targets for the spring include the Tour of Flanders on March 31—a race he won in 2020 and 2022—and Paris-Roubaix on April 7, where he took a solo victory last season. He may also add Liege-Bastogne-Liege to his calendar; the 29-year-old previously finished sixth there in 2020. However, the rest of his schedule for the first half of 2024 remains unconfirmed.
His summer agenda is similarly up in the air, though one date is set in stone: the Olympic road race in Paris on August 3, which occurs 13 days after the Tour de France ends. Whether he participates in the Tour de France depends on if he decides to enter the Olympic cross-country mountain bike event, scheduled for July 29—just eight days after the Tour finishes in Nice.
Regarding his goals, the Dutchman mentioned in a previous interview that his ambitions for the Classics remain the same. He added that depending on his form and fitness at the time, he might also compete in Liege-Bastogne-Liege.