Mathieu Warnier, Media365: published on Sunday January 5, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
While he has already worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, Mathieu van der Poel confided that the Grande Boucle was not an event that thrilled him.
Between Mathieu van der Poel and the Tour de France, it is not a love story. However, during his first participation in 2021, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor had the opportunity to take the yellow jersey for six days after winning the 2nd stage in Mûr-de-Bretagne. But, since then, the Dutchman has not had success with a retirement in 2023 then finishing first 57th in 2023 then 96th in 2024. Last year, he notably helped launch Jasper Philipsen in the sprints. Which resulted in three stage victories for the Belgian but a second place in the green jersey classification. During an interview with the Dutch-speaking Belgian channel Sporzathe former world champion did not lapse into language when discussing his feelings about the Tour de France. “It’s a race that doesn’t excite me,” he said.
Van der Poel has “not much to gain” on the Tour
In his eyes, “apart from trying to win stages and wear the yellow jersey, there is not much to gain for (him) in the Tour”. To justify his position, Adrie van der Poel’s son assures that taking part in events allowing him to raise his arms as a winner appeals to him more. “I prefer to do five races where I am able to win than 20 stages where I am not competing for victory half the time,” confides the man who has already won six Monuments in his career, including the Tour of Flanders three times. . A race in which the Dutchman admits that it “promises to be difficult” to beat a certain Tadej Pogacar but he adds that he is “happy to try to take up this challenge by thinking about how to reduce the gap” with the Slovenian, who succeeded him on the world championship list. A rainbow jersey that he dreams of conquering in mountain biking after having won it both on the road and in cyclo-cross.
