Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) will return to action for the first time after being forced out of the Tour de France with pneumonia at a criterium in the Netherlands on Sunday.
Van der Poel had been racing the best Tour de France of his career up to the unfortunate end to his race, winning the second stage, wearing the yellow jersey twice, and lighting up the action several times alongside overall winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in the first week.
Alpecin-Deceuninck announced he was suffering from pneumonia, after his common cold symptoms on the second rest day significantly worsened ahead of the day to Mont Ventoux.
The Dutchman has been in recovery ever since he left the Tour before the start of the 16th stage, first returning to riding outdoors with the likes of teammate Jasper Philipsen, then heading to Spain to train in recent weeks, and now he's fit enough to start a race.
It will just be at an exhibition event; however, at the Profronde Etten-Leur on Sunday, but the organisers were, of course, delighted to announce Van der Poel as their headline starter.
"Mathieu van der Poel will start this coming Sunday in the Las Montage Holland Profronde in Etten-Leur. Four days in yellow, fighting for every second. The Tour's star rider simply can't miss out on this year's race," read a post on the organiser's Instagram. "Races to savor. That's what his DNA dictates.
"It's by no means a given that we have the absolute elite of cycling at the start line in Etten-Leur every year," said chairman Ronnie Buiks. "Mathieu belongs in Etten-Leur, and we've done our part to ensure that."
Following the criterium appearance, the rest of Van der Poel's 2025 season is expected to revolve around the Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland in September, with no appearance at the Vuelta a España or road Worlds currently scheduled.
Announced alongside the Dutchman on the start list for Etten-Leur will be several other big stars, including the Tour de France Femmes winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, world champion Lotte Kopecky, and Tour stage winners Tim Wellens and Thymen Arensman.
