In dad's footsteps: how Boy was the first of the Van Poppels to face enormous expectations

Jean-Paul van Poppel is one of the best sprinters the Netherlands has ever known. Forget Dylan Groenewegen and Fabio Jakobsen. The old Van Poppel won far more big races than the current Dutch sprint top. There were nearly a hundred pro victories, including many stage wins in every grand tour. Nine during the Tour, including a green jersey, nine during the Vuelta, and four during the Giro.

In 1988, Van Poppel again excelled in the Tour de France, scoring a record four victories that summer. This was perhaps triggered by the joy of having his first son. That spring, Boy came into the world. Years later, it turns out that he, followed by his five-year younger brother Danny, is also a talented cyclist. They rapidly climbed up the cycling ladder. "The sons of Jean-Paul," can they match their father?

Boy turns out to be a jack of all trades. He became Dutch cyclo-cross champion in every category, including the U23. He also won the Dutch time trial championship in 2004. On the road, he also achieved excellent results. The most beautiful triumph? A stage somewhere far away, in Missouri, in 2008. He wins a bunch sprint in this seven-day event riding for the development branch of Rabobank. A guy named Mark Cavendish, more on him later this week, finishes fourth.

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After 2010, when Van Poppel won another stage in the famous French race Kreiz Breizh, he had to leave the Rabobank development team. Two years with the small UnitedHealthcare did provide him with the necessary publicity: a third place in Nokere Koerse and many top finishes in the Tour of Britain, including the points classification, led to a transfer to Vacansoleil-DCM, which has now entered the WorldTour.

That transfer offers the then 25-year-old Van Poppel a chance to break through at the highest level. The year 2012 proves to be something that cannot be repeated. What follows is a debut on the Tour, side by side with the then-only 19-year-old Danny. Indeed. Boy's little brother. It was unheard of then: a teenager in the Tour de France. In the first stage, Danny becomes world news, and Boy's status shifts forever to "brother of."

Danny van Poppel finishes third in Bastia, behind Marcel Kittel and Alexander Kristoff. Young and inexperienced, he does his stories for the media. The teenager has a hard time finding the right words. Father Jean-Paul is delighted; his son seems to be rising fast. The Boy almost automatically fulfills the role of the older brother. In a team that includes Lieuwe Westra and Johnny Hoogerland, he finishes the Tour in 144th place.

Vacansoleil ceased to exist after 2013, leading to a remarkable transfer for the young brothers: Trek Factory Racing knocks on the door, probably for the very young Danny, who gets support and brother Boy with him. In the Giro, the eldest Van Poppel serves as lead-out for Italian Giacomo Nizzolo. In the 2015 Vuelta, the brothers' climax follows: with preparatory work by Boy, Danny takes a sprint victory in the Vuelta.

However, Danny won less than he had hoped, except for that beautiful sprint in the Vuelta. He kept looking for opportunities for new glory, which he got at Sky and Jumbo-Visma. With these teams, there was no room for Boy. He stayed with Trek and rode alongside classic names in cycling. Fränk Schleck, Alberto Contador and Fabian Cancellara. Although they were top cyclists in the autumn of their careers, Boy was able to experience them up close.

Meanwhile, brother Danny will not approach the absolute sprint top either. In 2020, both brothers will be reunited with the predecessor of Intermarché-Wanty. Boy has just finished a year at Roompot-Charles. Together, they will achieve top-five finishes for Danny in the Scheldeprijs and Paris-Tours until BORA-hansgrohe approaches Danny. There, he has to work as a lead-out for men who may not be faster than him but have a better nose for victory. 2021 is the last year the Van Poppels will compete together.

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Another near-mega victory follows for Boy in the 2023 Vuelta. More or less by accident, Van Poppel ends up in the final sprint of the twelfth stage. He finishes third behind winners Sebastian Molano and Kaden Groves. In recent seasons, however, Boy has been mostly that loyal teammate again. He serves as lead-out for Gerben Thijssen and Biniam Girmay, among others. Until the body is exhausted, Boy van Poppel will stop cycling after 2024.

It was not meant to be, neither for Boy nor for Danny. While Danny was still regularly competing for medals, it was a bridge too far for Boy van Poppel. The actual speed was missing. However, it does not make the model pro Boy van Poppel any less brilliant. The native of Utrecht can look back on a remarkable career with years of service to brilliant teams.

Imagine going back 35 years, and sons Boy and Danny would have played a starring role in their super-fast dad's sprint preparation. Not in the spotlight, but meticulously delivering their father to the front, who, unlike both sons, was a finisher.

All the best to you in the future, Boy!