Dutchman recovers to ride Sunday’s Superprestige Gieten race
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Mathieu van der Poel was ready for a day in the rain(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus)(Image credit: Rob Jones)
Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands)(Image credit: Rob Jones)
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) wins the Dutch road race championships(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) as Dutch road race champion(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) escaped serious injury in the Brico Cross race in Lokeren Saturday, coming away with strained ligaments in his right ankle after a nasty crash.
Despite his injuries van der Poel confirmed he would ride Sunday’s opening Superprestige race in Gieten.
The European champion crashed and injured his ankle early in Saturday's race. After trying to continue, he was forced to stop as his ankle had quickly swollen and was very painful. A visit to the hospital in Sint-Niklaas fortunately showed that there was no fracture but only strained ligaments.
The Dutchman riding for Corendon-Circus later posted on Instagram live, “Nothing broken, on my way to Gieten. If the pain is bearable tomorrow I will race.”
The race in Brico was won by Daan Soete of Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice.
Last season van der Poel won the European and Dutch championships in cross, as well as the overall UCI World Cup. He also won the Dutch national road title.
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