Mathieu van der Poel Endures Brutal Day on the Bike, Admits to Risky Late Gamble: “A Lot of Riders Had Their Eyes on Me”
Mathieu van der Poel has never been one to shy away from suffering, but even the Alpecin-Deceuninck captain admitted that the latest stage of the race was “one of the toughest days ever” in his career — both mentally and physically.
Throughout the grueling stage, Van der Poel was a marked man from the very beginning. With his reputation as one of the most explosive riders in the peloton, nearly every move he made drew a reaction from rivals, turning an already demanding course into a relentless war of attrition.
“A lot of riders had their eyes on me,” Van der Poel said after the finish. “From the first climb, I could feel the tension. Every time I tried to change pace or shift position, there were riders following my wheel. It’s mentally draining when you feel like you’re not allowed a single moment of freedom in the race.”
As the stage wore on, and the breakaways faltered under the weight of crosswinds and tactical hesitations, Van der Poel found himself in a dangerous position — stuck in a group that refused to commit and with the finish fast approaching. Knowing his chances were slipping away and with few allies around him, he made a bold decision.
“I had to take a gamble in the final,” he explained. “I knew that if I waited for the perfect moment, it might never come. I launched an attack even though the conditions weren’t ideal, and I hoped I could break free.”
His surge in the final kilometers was vintage Van der Poel — powerful, sudden, and desperate — but the peloton was ready. With every eye trained on the Dutchman, a chorus of counterattacks and organized chases quickly reeled him back in, neutralizing his effort just before the line.
“In hindsight, maybe I should have waited. But I didn’t have the legs to sit back and sprint with the fastest guys. It was all or nothing. That’s how I race.”
Despite finishing outside the podium places, Van der Poel’s effort drew admiration from fans and analysts alike. His willingness to risk everything, even on a day when the odds were stacked against him, reminded the cycling world why he remains one of the most captivating figures in the sport.
Team staff confirmed after the stage that the conditions — a mix of searing temperatures, unpredictable winds, and aggressive tactics from rival teams — pushed Van der Poel and many others to the brink. His data showed one of the highest effort outputs of the season, emphasizing just how brutal the day truly was.
“It’s disappointing not to win, of course,” Van der Poel added. “But I’d rather lose trying to make something happen than disappear in the bunch. That’s who I am.”
The next stage offers a different profile, with fewer climbs and more opportunity for regrouping — but Van der Poel’s performance has already made its mark. Even when he doesn’t win, he changes the shape of the race.
As the tour continues, all eyes will remain on him. And clearly, that’s a pressure he has learned to embrace — even on the hardest of days.
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