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Tokyo Olympics 2020: Mathieu van der Poel pulls out of Tour de France to participate in mountain biking at Games
FirstpostThe Dutch Tour rookie spent six days in the yellow jersey, but now heads to Tokyo, where he will go for Olympic gold in his preferred mountain biking discipline. Tignes: Mathieu van der Poel pulled out of the Tour de France on Sunday after a spectacular star turn in the overall lead came to a shuddering halt in the Alps. “Mathieu Van der Poel won’t be at the start of today’s stage, and leaves Le Tour de France after an amazing week!” Grandson of French cycling legend Raymond Poulidor, Van der Poel set pulses racing with his gung-ho stage 2 win where he took the yellow jersey that his grandfather never wore despite eight podium finishes on the Tour. It took him a Herculean effort and he at first threw himself to the ground gasping for breath before weeping in relief for the settling of the family debt he’d promised his grandfather, saying “if only he were here.” Roadside fans in France then cheered him all the way from western Brittany to the chic ski resorts on the Swiss border where Van der Poel dug deep to maintain his lead, but his large frame means the all-rounder is unable to keep up with the lighter climb specialists.
History of this topic
Tour de France 2024: Pogacar wins Stage 20 as victory nears, Vingegaard second
The Hindu
Mathieu Van der Poel to skip Olympic mountain biking event
The IndependentVan der Poel will skip mountain bike event at Paris Olympics to focus on road race
Associated Press
Mathieu van der Poel signs historic cycling contracts with Alpecin-Deceuninck and Canyon
The IndependentDutch cycling star Van der Poel gets up from crash, goes on to win world road race title
Associated Press
Jonas Vingegaard wins Tour de France
LA TimesVan der Poel wins Giro d'Italia opening stage
The Hindu)
Tokyo Olympics 2020: German cyclist Simon Geschke ruled out of Games after testing positive for COVID-19
Firstpost
Van der Poel steps out of Tour de France to focus on Olympics
NL Times)
Tour de France 2021: Matej Mohoric wins stage seven as Mathieu van der Poel keeps yellow jersey
Firstpost)
Tadej Pogacar Wins Tour de France Stage 5, Mathieu van der Poel Clings to Yellow
News 18
Mathieu van der Poel honours late granddad with emotional Tour de France stage two win
Daily MailVan der Poel settles debt for grandfather Poulidor with Tour de France yellow
The Hindu
Tour de France 2021: Mathieu Van der Poel wins second stage, claims overall leader's jersey
Firstpost)
Tokyo Olympics 2020: Egan Bernal contemplating skipping Games to recover from back pain
FirstpostDiscover Related
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