Van der Poel sets sights on Olympic glory: "That worked very well last year too"

Mathieu van der Poel was in Roeselare on Tuesday evening to make an appearance at the post-Tour criterium. He claimed victory by finishing ahead of Biniam Girmay and teammate Gianni Vermeersch. Afterward, he briefly discussed the upcoming Olympic Games, which start on Friday in Paris, with the AD. In the short interview, the Dutchman had bad news for his competitors.

Van der Poel started the Tour de France a little over three weeks ago, but aside from a few phenomenal lead-outs for Jasper Philipsen, he didn't really leave his mark on the race. The conclusion might be that Van der Poel is not a stage racer. The Olympics, however, are also on the menu this summer, a one-day race tailored to his strengths and very similar to the World Championship he won in Glasgow almost a year ago.

Van der Poel focused on the Olympics: "Waiting for the more intensive training"

"A criterium like that is a good activity to keep the legs active after the Tour. Last year, I also participated in this to stay in shape for the World Championships," he referred to his triumph in Scotland. "I feel less fatigued than last year. Now it's a matter of seeing how my body responds to the new intensive training." It’s clear that the classics specialist wants to replicate his 2023 method in Paris.

Back to the Tour for a moment. Van der Poel has so far only achieved one stage win in France. It's a pity, but the world champion reacted surprisingly calmly. "I knew it would be difficult for me personally, I had expected more beforehand. The chances to win are slim, maybe I'll win a stage again next year. With the team, we focused well on Philipsen's sprints, where we had the most to gain. We ultimately did that very well."

Van der Poel impressed, but not afraid of the Stuyven-Van Aert-Evenepoel block

Van der Poel also briefly spoke about the competition, which he notably (and not surprisingly) is mainly seeking in the Belgian corner. "I certainly look at Remco and Wout, but Jasper Stuyven also rode an incredibly strong Tour. The Belgians will form a very strong block," he said about the formidable competition from his southern neighbors. Naturally, we are hoping for a beautiful battle between Van der Poel and his eternal rival Van Aert.