MOUNTAINBIKE

Taking a new step towards a multidisciplinary philosophy, FENIX-Deceuninck women’s team will also be competing in 2023-2004 CX and 2024 MTB seasons. 21-year-old Dutch cyclocross champion, Puck Pieterse, will be the leader of the team, which also includes Marthe Truyen, Yara Kastelijn, Millie Couzens and Julie De Wilde.

Pieterse made her debut in the new FENIX-Deceuninck jersey at the UCI World Cup race in Waterloo, United States, that took place on October 15. She crossed the finish line in second position.

All her team members, who have a CX past but have shifted their focus to a road career, will compete in a limited cyclocross program over the next months.

The team was established in 2020 with a roster of top cyclo-cross specialists with the aim to offer an interesting road program during the spring and summer months before the CX season. In 2023, FENIX-Deceuninck became a UCI WorldTour team. The expansion follows its previous focus on the road and activities in e-racing and gravel.

New Zealander cyclist Samuel Gaze made a great return to the top level of the mountain bike discipline after a knee surgery. In the short track at Mountain Bike World Cup in Albstradt, Germany, Gaze crossed first the finish line in 21 minutes and 29 seconds ahead of the French Jordan Sarroun and the Swiss Nino Schurter.

The 2022 Albstradt race is his third short track World Cup win. Coincidentally the only one rider had stood on top of the XCC podium in Albstadt for three consecutive editions is his teammate Mathieu van der Poel (2019, 2020 and 2021), who is currently at the Giro d’Italia.

Gaze took up the Alpecin-FENIX tradition and at the end of the race said: “I’m privileged to be wearing this jersey. Mathieu obviously just won the first stage of the Giro to wear pink. That success is contagious.”

We hope that this positive vibe continues through the next Alpecin-FENIX challenges!

Alpecin-FENIX cyclists’ Mathieu van der Poel and Ronja Eibl will compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Both will represent their home countries, The Netherlands and Germany respectively, in the Mountain Bike Cross Country specialty. The men’s race will take place on July 26, while the women’s race will be hosted the next day on July 27.

Van der Poel and Eibl come from busy and successful cycling seasons. The Dutch Alpecin-FENIX captain wore Tour de France’s yellow jersey for six days after winning stage 2.  Meanwhile, the German cyclist’s solid performance led her to the top10 in the XCO World Cup.

These will be the first Olympic Games for these young yet talented athletes. We wish them well in their endeavor!

Catch-up with Mathieu van der Poel at the Alpecin-Fenix training camp in La Plagne, France. The world cyclo-cross champion looks back on his short mountain bike campaign and talks about his upcoming goals in the second part of his 2021 road season.

Always wanted to know how the Alpecin-FENIX riders prepare for a race?
Take an exclusive look behind the scenes in this inside video of the Alpecin-FENIX participation at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Nové Město (May 14-16, 2021), where Mathieu van der Poel finished 2nd taking the lead in the World Cup!

It has been almost two years ago since Mathieu van der Poel did his last season on the mountainbike. After the Ronde van Vlaanderen he took the time to get back on his mountainbike and do some specific training again. He is preparing for the Olympics in two World Cup stages: Albstadt and Nove Mesto. Just before the XCC short circuit, he talked about finally being able to race again on his beloved mountainbike.

“I want to get as many points as possible because it is important for me to get a good starting position at the Olympics,” Van der Poel mentions in his interview. “But in general, I will be happy if I can go home with a good feeling.”

Watch the full interview and find out how Mathieu felt right after his amazing victory in the XCC shot circuit last Friday.

The first XCO races in Albstadt are done and dusted. Puck Pieterse finished 7th in the Women’s U23 race Loris Rouiller finished 40th in the Men’s U23 race.

Check out the aftermovie and relive the action!