(Paris) Absent from the peloton since his victory in the last Paris-Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel must resume competition on Saturday with a view to the Tour de France (1er-July 23) where he will “try to win a stage” and “prepare for the Worlds”, he explained on Monday during an internship in La Plagne.

“The objective is to try to win a stage in the Tour. It’s always a good thing. And the other objective is obviously to arrive in the best possible shape in Paris and to try to prepare for the Worlds ”, detailed during a press video conference the winner of the Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix monuments this season.

Specificity this year, the road race of the Worlds is scheduled for August 6, only two weeks after the arrival of the Tour de France, due to the organization of World Championships for all disciplines in Glasgow.

“Normally, I will also do the MTB Worlds (cross-country) the week following those on the road”, indicated the Dutchman currently on an altitude course in La Plagne. “But I won’t have any specific preparation. I will go without any pressure. »

“MVDP” has not pinned a bib for almost two months and its coronation in the Roubaix velodrome on April 9.

The one-day race, through Hageland on Saturday in Belgium, should be the scene of its resumption before the Tour of Belgium (June 14-18) then the Dutch Championship (June 25), its last outings before the Great loop that he intends to complete, a year after his retirement during the 11e stage for its first participation.

“Paris is the last stage before the Worlds, described the grandson of Raymond Poulidor. It’s time to finish the Tour, that’s why I prepared so well this year. I want to do a good Tour, like the Giro last year. »

Mathieu van der Poel won a stage and wore the pink jersey on Italian roads.

To perfect his preparation, the leader of the Alpecin team shunned this year the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de Suisse, the two preparation races favored by most of the peloton for the Big Loop.

“I prefer to give everything to try to win a stage in Belgium, he justified, rather than being in the gruppetto of a mountain stage in Switzerland. »