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He had a quiet Tour de France, however Mathieu van der Poel has a behavior of hitting his targets.
World street race championship final 12 months. The CX world championships earlier this 12 months. And the Ronde van Vlaanderen-Paris-Roubaix double this spring.
Now, with the Olympic street race unfurling on Saturday, it’s worrying information for his rivals: he feels he’s prepared.
“I skilled very well,” he mentioned, talking to AD.nl. “Intensive and explosive. I at all times want that once I come out of a grand tour.”
Van der Poel was anticipated by many to be searching levels within the Tour de France however, except for some assaults on the levels to Valloire, Pau and Saint-Lary-Soulon Pla d’Adet, his most vital presence within the race was in serving to teammate Jasper Philipsen clock up his stage wins.
That was an vital function, however there was nonetheless a way of anti-climax about his race.
If he wins in Paris, although, that can all be immaterial.
What he’s aiming to attain is alongside the identical strains as Glasgow final 12 months, the place he dominated to take the world title. There are actually clear parallels: a significant sooner or later goal, a equally robust course, and an nearly an identical time frame between the tip of the Tour and the massive occasion.
He had 14 days between them final summer season; this 12 months it’s 13. Shut sufficient to repeat/paste the template.
“Subconsciously, you might be doing the identical,” he mentioned. “The Tour, after which prepare for the massive purpose of the 12 months. However, after all, it doesn’t give any ensures.”
Nonetheless, the temper is upbeat.
“I really feel actually good and did every thing I needed to do.’”
Lacking a key rival
One factor which can make his activity simpler is the absence of Tadej Pogačar from the occasion. Final 12 months the Slovenian was one of many strongest, and even when Van der Poel gained out in the long run, Pogačar’s type on this 12 months’s Tour was elegant.
He may effectively have taken a gold medal however declared final week that he wouldn’t participate, each attributable to fatigue after his Giro-Tour double, and likewise partially as a result of the nationwide selectors didn’t choose his accomplice Urška Žigart.
In ways in which simplifies issues for Van der Poel, however he does must pay cautious consideration to the 2022 world champion Remco Evenepoel, who completed third on this 12 months’s Tour. He and Belgian teammate Wout van Aert are a severe double act, making the prospects of a Dutch-Belgian sq. off all of the extra seemingly.
There are after all others who may also be severe contenders.
Van der Poel has made sacrifices to be prepared for Saturday. He eschewed his conventional coaching stints in Spain publish Tour to stay in Belgium, partly as a result of he has a brand new bike for the Video games and wished to be close to the service course in case changes have been wanted.
He has additionally turned his again on MTB racing, one thing he informed AD.nl is definitely a significant goal for 4 years’ time.
“I’d have beloved to have been there, sure,” he mentioned, speaking about watching the MTB races a number of days in the past. “I’m by no means on the mountain bike, sadly. Not even in between [races] for enjoyable. The final time was on the summer season break in September.
“I take into consideration the four-year Los Angeles Olympics. To make mountain biking a fantastic purpose. To dwell there with a particular preparation. By then, I’ll be on the finish of my profession with an excellent purpose.”
That’s actually a powerful goal for 2028. He’s bought a extra urgent one earlier than then, with a distinct kind of gold medal foremost on his thoughts.
Mathieu van der Poel #Paris2024
️ “It seems like #CyclingRoad can develop into an uncontrollable race. I’d say that is a bonus for me. I had mainly the identical preparation as final 12 months for Glasgow.”
(Wielerflits, Raymond Kerckhoffs) pic.twitter.com/0GQin0NZip
— Domestique (@Domestique___) August 1, 2024
