Adrie van der Poel watches son Mathieu in awe ("as a former pro, I know what it takes") and gives Wout van Aert credit

The 2025 edition of the E3 Saxo Classic didn’t start all that smoothly for the men in the denim-colored jerseys of Alpecin-Deceuninck. After just seven kilometers, there was a crash in the middle of the peloton, and Van der Poel was caught behind it with some of his teammates. Nevertheless, they managed to bring him back to the front. "They stuck to their own strategy, which was to ride at the front and then see where things would end up. In the end, that’s super smart — staying committed to their own tactics."

"They try to position Mathieu as well as possible up front, with some help from Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe," says Van der Poel senior. "Heading into the hilly section, a few other teams started to push too. In hindsight, it’s easy to say what went right or wrong, but I think they responded well," he says, praising the Alpecin-Deceuninck strategy.

Just before the Taaienberg climb, Van der Poel moved to the front again, where he immediately helped force the pace — unlike Wout van Aert. "I do have to give Wout some credit, though, because he had just come down that climb. Last year, he also struggled there but still finished fourth," Adrie notes.

Van der Poel was able to follow Mads Pedersen on the Taaienberg, and the two of them — along with Filippo Ganna — ended up in the lead, where Van der Poel eventually dropped them on the Oude Kwaremont. "It’s just incredibly impressive that he can keep performing like that, year after year, in those crucial moments. As a former pro, I know firsthand how difficult that is. And to be able to drop riders like Pedersen and Ganna — that’s really something. Especially when you consider that the first two hours were ridden extremely fast — almost 50 kilometers per hour. 50 per hour is 50 per hour."

"A tactically perfect race? I think so, although the winner is always right," Van der Poel senior adds. "This is, of course, one of the toughest races, with all those climbs packed so close together. That suits him really well. On the bike, you can really feel how your legs compare to the others’."

So what does this mean for the Tour of Flanders, according to Van der Poel’s father? "I don’t think there’s more pressure. Mathieu said it himself: he’s already won more than he ever imagined. If he gives it everything and still doesn’t win, he can live with that."

"Mathieu knows his strengths, but he also knows very well what he can’t do," Van der Poel continues. "He also needs certain things. Three days before Milan–San Remo, he went golfing for an afternoon. To relax. It doesn’t have to be long, but it’s a way to take his mind off the cycling-eating-sleeping routine and everything that comes with it."

The Pogacar factor has also lit a fire under Mathieu, Adrie believes. "There are definitely riders who challenge him. He’s level-headed enough to know he had to lose some weight and be at 110% to beat Pogacar, because that’s real world-class. But he enjoys that challenge."

"I think we’re seeing a generation do things we haven’t seen in years," beams Van der Poel senior. "I watch with my mouth open — how do they do it? Of course, a lot has changed, but you still have to go out and perform every time. And most importantly: the mutual respect. On the road, they’re rivals, but after the races, there’s always mutual respect. I really like that."