Close (very close) call. Wonderful save. 🚀 @mathieuvdpoel through the streets of #Tessenderlo during the @RenewiTour TT. #MVDP
Eager Mathieu van der Poel for European Championship: "Criterium in itself is also not difficult, but things get broken up as well"
CyclingSaturday, 14 September 2024 at 07:22
Mathieu van der Poel will start as the go-to man after Wout van Aert dropped out of the race at the European Cycling Championships in Belgian Limburg. The Dutchman told IDLProCycling.com at the press event of the Dutch team in Sint-Truiden that he is looking forward to the continental title race.
The last time we saw Van der Poel in competition was the second-to-last stage of the Renewi Tour. He failed to start the final stage in and around Geraardsbergen with a knee injury, after which he traveled to Spain. Judging on the reels of cycling buddy Freddy Ovett, things went well there, and that confirmation followed Friday.
"It's going well. Together with the team, I think I made a good decision by dropping out of the Renewi Tour. During that time trial, where I almost fell, I hit my handlebars with my knee. After that, I was pretty sore, and the races after that were as well, so I did feel it wasn't one hundred percent. That's why we decided not to ride for two days, which was a good choice."
Read more below the video.
Van der Poel knew from experience how to tackle knee issue
"Cycling slowly was possible, but it was mainly with forcing that it started to hurt," said Van der Poel, who knew how to deal with it. "I've had my share of knee problems already, so I felt it wasn't bad. But I might have made it worse if I had kept riding, including in Geraardsbergen."
"I feel good. I had an excellent training camp," said Van der Poel, who also trained uphill in Spain. Does that say anything for the European Championships? "Of course, I trained on climbing, but you also take a good level of form to the flat races. It will be difficult on this course anyway, but there are always possibilities."
"It wasn't immediately sure if I would ride this race because I might stay in Spain until Luxembourg," Van der Poel confessed. "But I wanted an extra day of racing, and it's also close to home. Besides, it's also certainly not the case that nothing is possible on this course. With a hard race, a lot is still possible."
He does not yet have the European champion's jersey in his collection, at least on the road. "And I also think it's an important race. I also think it is a beautiful jersey, and in recent years, it has become more important, and it is a championship."
Read more below the photo.
Van der Poel indicated to Moerenhout that he wants to help in sprint preparation
So, how should he approach the course in Belgian Limburg? "The loss of Wout is unfortunate, and I think he would have also wanted a hard race. But there will still be riders who want to race, although it looks like it will be a sprint. A bit of wind to race would still be nice, but the good sprinters here can do it after a hard race. Then I think of Jasper Philipsen and Olav Kooij, but there are others like that."
Van der Poel says he has no problem riding against his teammate at Alpecin-Deceuninck. "With Olav, we also have someone behind us to win a sprint. In the first place, I try to win myself, of course, but with the national coach, I have also indicated that I am certainly not worried about doing the lead-out yet. We still have strong men for the lead-out if the legs allow it. I do want to contribute my support to that."
"That Limburg loop will be the point where it's easiest to try something," he points out. "It's also not a very long race, and there will be high averages. We have a good team, but until the meeting, we are waiting to see what we will do." Van der Poel doesn't know the exact lap yet but has already cycled in the region. "I know roughly what to expect. The way you see it, it's not tough enough. However, a criterium in itself is also not difficult, and things get broken up as well. That's always possible on narrow roads," he concludes.
Il Lombardia 2024
Want to advertize on IDLProCycling.com? We’re already planning for the 2025 season
Harsh Wuyts thinks Van Gils' breach of contract suits his image, agents understand choice
Visma | Lease a Bike realizes that with Milan Vader a story comes to its end: "For a moment we feared for your life"
November vacation month: Van der Poel receives wonderful card, Philipsen and Bernal enjoy, Evenepoel goes for a run
What's funny with Tom Pidcock is that not even his coach knows his potential on the road
Latest Cycling News
Want to advertize on IDLProCycling.com? We’re already planning for the 2025 season
Harsh Wuyts thinks Van Gils' breach of contract suits his image, agents understand choice
Visma | Lease a Bike realizes that with Milan Vader a story comes to its end: "For a moment we feared for your life"
November vacation month: Van der Poel receives wonderful card, Philipsen and Bernal enjoy, Evenepoel goes for a run
What's funny with Tom Pidcock is that not even his coach knows his potential on the road
Popular Cycling News
November vacation month: Van der Poel receives wonderful card, Philipsen and Bernal enjoy, Evenepoel goes for a run
Meanwhile in the peloton | Unibet Tietema Rockets signs Italian climber Carboni
Bakelants notices remarkable trend in transfers: "Van Aert, Pogacar, Van der Poel: they all did that"
Vingegaard responds cryptically to rumors: "I read somewhere that I might have to ride the Giro"
Visma | Lease a Bike realizes that with Milan Vader a story comes to its end: "For a moment we feared for your life"
Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024