TakeWorlds2 weeks ago
Mathieu van der Poel finished third at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, and he sounds happier about how the race was run than about the medal. No radios meant no sports director talking riders through the finale — just instinct, and he says that's what made Montreal chaotic and worth watching.
Van der Poel spent much of the 273 km attacking, and by his own account stayed ahead of every move from behind. «You really have to race on instinct,» he said — and rather than treat that as an excuse for missing gold, he called it «the most beautiful thing there is», adding he's «a fan of it» and has said so before. The result: a rider who says he's content and proud of a bronze, because the format forced the exact race he wanted to ride.
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