mathieu van der poel 2 With victories in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix—while wearing the rainbow jersey—Mathieu van der Poel capped off another spectacular year. In the upcoming season, he will aim to match those achievements. However, the return of Tadej Pogacar to the Tour of Flanders promises fierce competition. As the Tour de France eagerly anticipates the presence of the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider this summer, Van der Poel remains less than enthusiastic about the prospect.
Reflecting with Sporza , Van der Poel acknowledged the significance of 2024. "Winning the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the rainbow jersey might be the highlight of my career. It’s something quite unique," he shared proudly. In Flanders, Van der Poel launched a daring solo attack on the Koppenberg, narrowly avoiding a major energy crash. "It was an incredibly tough edition, especially with the heavy rain in the final hour. I had the same feeling as during the World Championships in Harrogate 2019. I was close to hitting the wall. The race couldn’t have lasted much longer for me."
This year, the 29-year-old Dutchman will face Pogacar, who outpaced him on the Oude Kwaremont in 2023. "It will be tough to beat him, but I welcome the challenge." Van der Poel acknowledges that adjustments are necessary to close the gap. "We’re thinking about how to narrow the margin to Pogacar. It’s essential if I want to beat him in Flanders. Perhaps more intense and focused training is the solution. For that reason, I’ve […]
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