Mathieu van der Poel resides his finest biking life.
He is a favorite for Milan-San Remo however shouldn’t be beneath intense stress to win like Tadej Pogačar. He has already gained six Monument Classics and can certainly win much more this spring and within the years to return.
Life is sweet and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider appears to have labored out the best way to steadiness the depth of professional racing with life’s little pleasures. Cycling and successful the most important Classics have by no means been compelled on him or burdened him, they aren’t a private obsession, they’re naturally a part of his life.
Van der Poel might be the one rider who can compete on equal phrases with Pogačar on Saturday and the strain is rising in he hours earlier than the race. Yet van der Poel is relaxed as ever as he speaks to Cyclingnews, L’Equipe and La Gazzetta dello Sport in an unique interview and enjoys a closing espresso journey close to Antwerp earlier than travelling to Italy.
“My life shouldn’t be good, for positive I’ve dangerous days as effectively. But I feel I’m at an age now that I’ve completed virtually each aim I’ve set for myself and much more,” Van der Poel explains.
“That brings me a number of peace. Everything that comes now, it is a bonus. That makes it very enjoyable to race.”
“I nonetheless wish to attempt to win the most important races on the market, one other Monument, so I’m nonetheless very motivated. I’m effectively conscious that I must be at 110% to beat Pogačar. That’s at all times good motivation.”
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Of course, van der Poel nonetheless will get enthusiastic about Milan-San Remo. He gained it with a textual content ebook solo assault on the Poggio in 2023. He needs to win it once more, particularly after sacrificing his probabilities for Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate and sprinter Jasper Philipsen final yr.
Van der Poel grew up watching Milan-San Remo along with his father and former professional Adri and his mom Corinne, the daughter of legendary French rider Raymond Poulidor.
Mathieu has the bad-ass, exhausting as nails character of his father, the gentleness of his grandfather and mom and the biking DNA of all three. He would not race for cash or fame, it’s simply what he does.
“Milan-San Remo is without doubt one of the races I beloved to look at as a child, since you by no means know what is going on to occur,” Van der Poel says, capturing the magic of the Italian race, admitting he even prefers the Italian race over a Paris-Roubaix victory within the iconic velodrome.
“Winning Paris-Roubaix is tremendous particular however I feel successful on the Via Roma is extra emotional. At Milan-San Remo you do not know it till you get to the final stretch, the ultimate metres, in order that makes it a bit extra particular.”
A giant-name conflict for Classics connoisseurs
Van der Poel and Pogačar will conflict for the primary time this season at Milan-San Remo.
They will then face off on the E3 Saxo Bank Classic subsequent Friday, the Tour of Flanders on Sunday April 6 and maybe even at Paris-Roubaix on Sunday April 13. It can be a classic spring Classics marketing campaign and heady few weeks for biking connoisseurs.
Pogačar dominated the UAE Tour after which at Strade Bianche regardless of his crash. The UAE Team Emirates rider has recovered away from the March races and seems as robust as ever. He is the present world champion, taking on from Van der Poel who beat him in Glasgow in 2023.
Van der Poel gained a cyclocross world title in early February after which gained Le Samyn on his street race debut. He went near successful a stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, rising with the ‘further share’ of kind wanted for his spring Classics and race velocity in his legs.
True to character, Van der Poel shouldn’t be involved in fueling a rivalry with Pogačar, they’ve even skilled collectively. There is not any trash speaking and no sense of concern, solely respect and a want to win the large races. Van der Poel is aware of that Pogcar can damage him on the longer climbs in some Classics and so should depend on his race craft, bike dealing with expertise and maybe his sooner end.
“I’ve a very good relationship with him and to be trustworthy, I do not assume an excessive amount of a few rivalry. I simply attempt for myself to be in the very best form on the races,” Van der Poel says.
“If he is stronger, like he was on the Tour of Flanders two years in the past, then it is one thing it’s important to take care of. It’s not one thing I can change as a result of I do know I did the whole lot I might to be in the very best form at that race. If a rider is stronger, that is how it’s.”
Van der Poel concedes that he must attempt to go together with Pogačar if the Slovenian assaults on the Cipressa and particularly on the Poggio. Otherwise Milan-San Remo will instantly escape his grasp.
He additionally has to consider long-time rival Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who he beat to win the Junior world street race title in Florence in 2013. On-form Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) can also be a menace as a consequence of his energy assaults and ending velocity, as are so many different crew leaders and outsiders.
“Ganna is Ganna. In the final two or three years he was already one of many strongest riders on the Poggio, he seems to be in tremendous fine condition. So he can be there too, it is not nearly me and Pogačar,” Van der Poel warns.
Chasing after Pogačar on the Cipressa
Van der Poel noticed how Pogačar and his crew tried to harm their rivals on the Cipressa climb in 2024 however failed of their intentions. Pogačar then made two assaults on the Poggio however Van der Poel and others chased him down every time.
The danger of rain on Saturday has receded and there may be more likely to be a slight tailwind on the Cipressa, which means Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates could possibly be tempted to attempt to break the document of 9:19 for the Cipressa from 1996 and even go beneath 9 minutes to spark an enormous choice.
Van der Poel doubts that plan would work.
“Nothing is not possible. If it is headwind on the Cipressa, I do not assume it is doable, however when it is full tail wind possibly it’s. But for positive you’d have to sacrifice the entire crew,” he says with warning.
“It additionally will depend on how groups organise behind any assault. If there is a crew that does not panic, retains collectively and pulls as exhausting as doable from the Cipressa to the Poggio, it is going to be actually tough to remain away.”
Van der Poel might should go together with Pogačar if he assaults on the Cipressa however he’s extra pragmatic, extra of an all out, full gasoline, Poggio assault rider.
“That’s additionally why there’s so many riders that may win Milan-San Remo, typically you possibly can cover all day and nonetheless win,” he suggests.
“Sometimes it is possibly even higher if you do not have the legs to do something on the Poggio, however you simply attempt to observe a number of riders. You do not should go the Poggio first to win the race, that is apparent.”
If Van der Poel wins Milan-San Remo for a second time, do not count on to see him partying late into the night time in Monte Carlo. If he manages to catch a late flight house to Belgium, he’s more likely to be on the golf course on Sunday morning, having fun with the peace and quiet of the greens, maybe smiling to himself after he once more proved that Pogačar is beatable and that he is without doubt one of the finest Classics riders within the sport.
“Golf is basically enjoyable and also you’re in nature,” Van der Poel explains.
“It’s the alternative of what occurs in a race, it is a substitute for the stress and rigidity of racing. It’s simply what I would like after a giant race, it is my little private reward, whether or not I win or lose.”