Olympics-Cycling-Van der Poel leaves it late for MTB race

FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 7 - Vierzon to Le Creusot - France - July 2, 2021 Alpecin–Fenix rider Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands in action before crossing the line of stage 7 Pool via REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Mountain bike medal prospect Mathieu van der Poel has departed for the Tokyo Olympics only four days before Monday’s race, confident it is all the time he needs to be ready.

The Dutch rider, who spent the first week of the Tour de France in the yellow jersey but then abandoned the race to concentrate on the Olympics, told NOS television he did not fancy being stuck in a Japanese hotel room waiting for the men’s cross country race.