As he eyes including an Olympic gold medal to his illustrious palmarès, Mathieu van der Poel claims he’s in higher form on the 2024 Tour de France than he was within the lead-up to changing into World Champion final season.
Van der Poel has in the future much less between the tip of the Tour and his massive aim of the summer season than he did in 2023, with 13 days from the ultimate stage in Nice and the lads’s Olympic highway race in Paris on Saturday, August 3.
He’s had little likelihood to indicate off the rainbow jersey for his personal ambitions on the Tour with a greatest results of eleventh on the gravel stage, however has performed an element in Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) taking two phases with a surprising lead-out on stage 10 into Saint-Amand-Montrond.
“I am unable to change a lot about it myself. I already stated beforehand that there are few alternatives for individuals like me,” stated Van der Poel to Sporza on Vive le Vélo. “If it continues to evolve like this, there’s little level for guys like me to return to a Grand Tour. It is a disgrace.”
Despite the slight frustration, Paris is the actual aim for the World Champion and all appears to be heading in the right direction.
“I’ve chosen an identical build-up. I really feel higher now than I did final yr at this second. In 2023 I used to be a bit sick,” stated Van der Poel. “I really feel fairly OK, however that’s actually no assure of the identical kind.
“It is probably a bit similar to Glasgow, however the Olympic race will probably be a bit much less managed with fewer teammates.”
Long-term rival Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) has been equally pissed off on the Tour, narrowly lacking out on a stage win with two second-place finishes and 5 high sixes. But his crew see his kind rising equally earlier than Paris.
“I feel Wout is in superb form. He improved some private bests on this Tour. On Sunday, a really promising PR,” stated Visma sporting director Merijn Zeeman to HLN, with Van Aert later revealing what that private greatest was.
“At the start of the trip I pedalled my highest absolute energy for 20 minutes,” stated the Belgian. “Two small aspect notes: there have been fifty riders in my wheel afterwards. When I used to be a bit leaner, my energy per kilogram of physique weight was a bit higher for 20 minutes. But this new report is actually an additional increase.”
Van Aert will lead a robust Belgian squad alongside Remco Evenepoel with Tiesj Benoot and Jasper Stuyven for help, whereas Van der Poel can have full dedication from Dylan van Baarle and Daan Houle for the Netherlands.
Zeeman stated he wouldn’t be stunned to see the identical Van Aert who excelled on the Tokyo Olympics on terrain that didn’t notably swimsuit him en path to a silver medal within the highway race and sixth within the ITT.
“After a troublesome first week, Wout feels he’s bettering bodily. Last week he actually made a leap ahead. He can be mentally prepared,” stated Zeeman. “He turned the swap on himself after that fall. Proof that he’s properly balanced with himself and is aware of find out how to construct as much as a high efficiency.”
