Mathieu van der Poel (30) on Le Samyn podium with Paul Magnier (20), who admires Dutch all-rounder and also celebrates

For those who were in doubt, Mathieu van der Poel is back. The Dutch rider from Alpecin-Deceuninck opened his season in Le Samyn by winning the sprint in Dour. French rider Paul Magnier finished second for Soudal Quick-Step, as he did in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but he barely shed a tear afterward. And for good reason...

The 20-year-old Magnier already had a fantastic season last year, but the train seems to have picked up some extra steam at the start of 2025. The Soudal Quick-Step rider won the Star of Besseges in his very first race and suddenly emerged as the man to beat for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad within his team. In Ninove, he was one wheel length short of keeping Soren Waerenskjold of Uno-X from victory.

Three days later, he could get his revenge in Le Samyn, but then van der Poel's participation was suddenly announced on Monday. Magnier's idol, who came from mountain biking and in his younger years, often looked up to Van der Poel in the years he combined mountain biking with road and cyclocross—just as he wants to repeat this year. In Le Samyn, the two met for the first time in a race.

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Magnier described racing with Van der Poel: "Like a dream"

While Van der Poel tried several attacks, Magnier's Soudal Quick-Step team focused on a sprint. Even the top talent could not hold Van der Poel's wheel, but he had no problem. "I was still second behind one of my biggest idols, so I'm delighted. It was a dream of mine to race with him," said Magnier, referring to Van der Poel.

"It was a tough final with the cobblestones near the finish line," the French rider added. "The finish line, with its steep incline, was also quite difficult. Everyone wanted to be on Mathieu's wheel, so it was already chaotic before the sprint. In the end, I was a bit out of the wind, and anyone in the wind had a hard time. He was the only one who could accelerate, so it was his legs," Magnier said, leaving no doubt as to who was the best in Wallonia.

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Van der Poel already sent Merlier message about Magnier

Magnier also spoke about his respect for Van der Poel in an interview with the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad last week. "I have never spoken to Mathieu, but he did send Tim a message about the wattages I was pedaling. Someone on Twitter had analyzed my wattage on Strava. Van der Poel had seen that, and he was impressed. He told Tim that he would deal with me before it came to a sprint between us," Magnier said jokingly.

Van der Poel returned to the subject in Dour after his victory in Le Samyn. 'Tim was saying that Paul is very young but already powerful. I saw intimidating wattages, but Tim said he had also lost to Paul in a sprint. He is still very young and just arriving on the scene, but everyone knows him by now. He is someone with a future.

Read also

Mathieu van der Poel opens 2025 with a victory in Le Samyn, but why did he use such a crazy - yet effective - sprint tactic?

"Don’t be two minutes late"; Winter with Van der Poel was reality check for Philipsen

Preview of Strade Bianche 2025 | Pogacar can show off his skills again, Van Aert, Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Vingegaard are absent

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