According to the Alpecin Phoenix team, Mathieu Van Der Poel, who is currently out of the lineup due to a back injury, has opted to undergo "minor surgery" on his knee.

According to the team, Van der Poel suffered a laceration on the inside of his knee in a previous crash that resulted in scar tissue. Surgery was performed on January 8, and subsequent tests performed by Van der Poel's doctor, Toon Crace, were "positive."

During his preparation for the December race block, van der Pol suffered a major knee injury that did not require stitches but healed slowly, forcing him to postpone his season debut. Because of the injury, he was off the bike for a week before the Alpecin Phoenix team camp and missed the December 18 Lucfen World Cup.

Van der Pol finished second to rival Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) in the Dendermonde World Cup on December 26, but the next day in the Superprestige in Heusden-Zolder, he suffered a recurrence of a back injury suffered in early 2021 and He fell off the bike.

The team announced that the knee surgery was not back related. It is unclear when van der Pol will be able to return to training and racing, but his team said he will not return until he is completely pain-free.

The 26-year-old has been diagnosed with a "swollen disc" in his back. He had been in pain since early in the 2021 season, possibly due to switching from a cyclocross bike to a road bike after winning the World Championships in Oostende and competing in the UAE Tour three weeks later.

Alpecin Phoenix won a stage at the UAE Tour before being forced to leave due to a COVID-19 positive in the team, a win at Strade Bianche, two stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico, and second place at the Tour of Flanders, the road season After an intense early season, Van der Pol switched to mountain biking and competed in two World Cups before the Olympics. He then returned to the road, winning a stage at the Tour de France and wearing the yellow jersey for six days before heading to Tokyo.

According to Van der Pol's team manager, a severe crash on the opening lap of the Olympic cross-country competition did not affect his back, but pain forced him to delay his return to road racing. He eventually regained his form and finished third in Paris-Roubaix.