Mountain biker David Valero is angry with Mathieu van der Poel after their joint crash at Sunday’s World Cup race in Nové Mesto, Czech Republic. The Spaniard accuses his colleague of a lack of respect.
Van der Poel and Valero crashed in the opening phase when the Dutchman wanted to overtake his competitor. A little later, Van der Poel himself flipped over after a jump. Shortly after, he stepped off.
“I am disappointed with my race, especially because some riders do not respect their colleagues for who they are,” writes the 36-year-old Valero on Instagram, without naming Van der Poel.
Due to mechanical problems after the crash, Valero eventually finished 58th in Nové Mesto. “I appreciate that they participate to give visibility to the mountain bike World Cup, which is very important. But respect is also,” concludes the veteran.
It was Van de Poel’s first mountain bike race since the fall of 2023. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was examined in the hospital on Sunday after the race. It is still unclear whether Van der Poel will be sidelined (for a long time).