Mathieu van der Poel will ride the OVO Energy Tour of Britain for the first time in September. The 24-year-old Dutchman will lead his Corendon-Circus team at the British race (7 – 14 September) as the final part of his key preparations for success at the UCI World Road Race Championships in the UK later the same month.

Van der Poel has been one of the standout names of the 2019 cycling season so far, taking five victories on the road, including the prestigious Amstel Gold Race in April, as well as becoming World, European and Dutch cyclo-cross champion.

It will be the debut of both van der Poel and his Belgian Corendon Circus UCI Pro Continental team in the OVO Energy Tour of Britain.

Commenting on the news, Mathieu van der Poel, who is also the current Dutch road race champion said: “I’m happy to go to the Worlds and to have the occasion to get to know the OVO Energy Tour of Britain in the weeks before. I’m really happy that the organiser gives our team the chance to participate for the first time and at the same time helps me preparing for the Worlds in the best possible way. Of course, we’ll study the roadbook in order to decide in which stages we will try to go for a stage win.”

Victory in the Amstel Gold Race came during a thrilling Spring Classics campaign that also saw van der Poel win the Dwars van Vlaanderen and Brabantse Pijl single day World Tour races, and finish fourth in the legendary Tour of Flanders.

He recently continued his breakout season by taking his first ever UCI mountain bike World Cup victory in mid-May. Commenting on van der Poel’s participation, OVO Energy Tour of Britain Race Director Mick Bennett said, “We are excited that Mathieu, his team and the Dutch federation have identified the OVO Energy Tour of Britain as a key part of his road calendar in 2019 and look forward to welcoming him to the race.

“Like many I was thrilled to see his performance in the Amstel Gold Race this Spring, and am delighted that British fans will now get to see this amazing talent in action first hand. The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is held in tremendous regard by the sport’s top teams and riders and we look forward to more exciting announcements before September.”

Van der Poel is the son of double Tour de France stage winner and 1996 World Cyclo-Cross Champion Adri, while his Grandfather is eight-time Tour de France podium finisher and cycling great Raymond Poulidor.

Mathieu will be hoping to emulate the success of his father, who won stage five of the 1991 Kellogg’s Tour – the Tour of Britain’s predecessor – in Leeds.

The OVO Energy Tour of Britain begins in Glasgow’s George Square on Saturday 7 September, finishing eight days later on Deansgate in the heart of Manchester city centre on Saturday 14 September.

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