Some riders are taking advantage of the off-season to relax, vacation, train for the 2025 season, or even perform on national television disguised as a squirrel… Wout van Aert appeared on stage in Belgium’s Masked Singer TV event on Friday night, and the following day, his adversary Mathieu van der Poel raced against a professional rally driver.
Van der Poel, who lives in Spain, was invited to participate in this weekend’s La Nucia Granfondo, which featured several current and former professional riders. On Saturday, the first day of the event, the Gravel and Cyclocross World Champion competed against professional Rally driver Miguel Ángel Fuster in a thrilling race.
The race had a handicap, but it was a close race, and in videos recorded by fans at the event, it was possible to see the most unusual type of race, which was won by the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider who is taking the off-season to enjoy himself on the bike in a way that a regular schedule would not allow for.
Overwinning voor @mathieuvdpoel ! La Nucia criterium. Verslag @SebastienLoeb pic.twitter.com/KcRSPh6eXr
— Erik Dekker (@edekker1970) October 26, 2024
