Mathieu van der Poel covered 10.05 kilometers on foot in 40 minutes and 43 seconds alongside Greg Van Avermaet, as the Alpecin-Premier Tech star continued an active off-season training block in Spain rather than racing the opening winter cyclo-cross rounds.

Running Splits and Costa Blanca Training Blocks

The training partnership between Van der Poel and Van Avermaet began with back-to-back morning runs at the Costa Blanca, where Van der Poel maintains a residence. Monday’s 10.05-kilometer effort translated to an average pace of 4 minutes and 3 seconds per kilometer. On Tuesday, the pair extended their distance to 11.61 kilometers, completing the route in 51 minutes and 29 seconds at a 4:26-per-kilometer pace, as recorded on Van Avermaet’s Strava account.

Cycling accompanied the running sessions on both days. Van Avermaet completed an 85.5-kilometer ride on Monday with Van der Poel joining for portions of the route. Tuesday brought an unplanned extension when the two riders covered nearly 120 kilometers. Dat stond niet op de planning, Van Avermaet wrote in his social media post regarding the distance, noting that the ride exceeded his original schedule before he returned to Belgium.

Gravel Rides and Wide-Ranging Off-Season Pursuits

While Van Avermaet traveled back to Belgium, Van der Poel maintained his heavy training volume in Spain alongside frequent training partner Freddy Ovett. Van der Poel posted video footage on Instagram showing gravel bike excursions across Spanish terrain, punctuated by a lunch stop at a pizzeria and brief efforts on an outdoor crosstrainer. De nieuwe Grail verdiende een passend avontuur, Van der Poel wrote of his new Canyon gravel bike.

Additional training mileage came over the weekend when Van der Poel, Ovett, and former teammate Gianni Vermeersch (now riding for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) tackled a 101-kilometer route with more than 1,100 vertical meters of climbing. The trio completed the three-hour ride at an average speed of 33 kilometers per hour, accompanied by the Strava caption Easy to Patio. Van der Poel’s diverse off-season regimen has included high-intensity mountain biking, road cycling, and gravel riding.

The rapid running splits and heavy cycling workloads demonstrate that the Dutch multi-discipline star is maintaining high fitness levels despite skipping the traditional early-season cyclo-cross fixtures. Neither the Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde nor other autumn events saw Van der Poel on the start grid.

Public Appearance in London Ahead of Winter Decisions

Uncertainty remains regarding whether Van der Poel will race a cyclo-cross program during the winter months. The impending birth of his first child with partner Roxanne in January could influence his racing schedule.

Before any potential return to the mud, Van der Poel has confirmed a public appearance outside of competition. He will travel to London on November 12 to appear as a main guest alongside Freddy Ovett on the opening night of Rouleur Live at the annual cycling exhibition. The event runs from November 12 to 14, featuring live stage discussions hosted by presenters Matt Stephens and Hannah Walker.