2️⃣ + 1️⃣ = 3️⃣ And we strike again! 7 stages far, and @JasperPhilipsen takes his 3rd victory in this @LeTour 👏 Once again, a phenomenal lead-out by the entire time! #AlpecinDeceuninck #JasperPhilipsen #TDF2023 💚
"As a little boy I trained on the roads we ride on Saturday and Sunday" - Mathieu van der Poel reveals special motivation to win this weekend
CyclingSaturday, 08 July 2023 at 11:52
Mathieu van der Poel comes from a long line of world class cyclists and although the Tour de France currently finds itself in the middle of France, it will be on roads where he used to train with grandfather Raymond Poulidor when he was younger.
“The start in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat will be special. Of course I know that place well. When I was young we always visited my grandparents there," van der Poel said in an interview with Le Populaire, regarding the start of stage 9 which will see the riders go up to Puy de Dôme. "I always like the comparison with my grandfather. I take that as a compliment.”
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A Dutchman, van der Poel has always very much been part of the Belgian circuit, but has also spent quite a lot of time training in France. Due to Poulidor's experience with the Tour in the past, the race has always been a key goal for van der Poel's career. The 2021 Tour de France was perhaps it's climax as he won atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne on the second day and put on the yellow jersey.
“When I won at Mûr-de-Bretagne a day later and took the yellow jersey, it was a very emotional moment. Especially since grandpa was gone. What I did there was the best thing I could do. I was very happy that day and I immediately thought of him," he admits. "It is a great pity that he could no longer be there with us. Because of that special outfit, there was also a lot of pressure, but it turned out to be an unforgettable day!”
“I will try to enjoy myself as much as possible. The infamous history of the Puy de Dôme makes it special to finish there. You have the historic duel that my grandfather fought with Anquetil in 1964. And we can rarely, if ever, climb that climb. For that reason alone it will be a fun experience. Because of the start in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat I am really looking forward to the start of that stage. But winning on the Puy de Dôme is not realistic for me.”
This year's stage 9 however is unlikely to be a big focus for him in terms of winning ambitions, with a tough summit finish. However today's stage is a much more feasible goal as the riders head into Limoges where they will find a hilly finale, with an uphill drag to the line. Alpecin-Deceuninck will have to manage both his and Jasper Philipsen ambitions on the day, however it can be said with certainty that it is the Dutchman's best opportunity so far on what has been a brutally attacked race.
“It's not that I would like to win even more than usual. I am always eager to win. But that ride will also be special. As a little boy I trained on the roads we ride on Saturday and Sunday," the Dutchman revealed to Wielerflits. "I would like to win a stage in this Tour, that would be great. We are working on a very good Tour with the team. I especially want to get to Paris in good shape.”
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