Can Mathieu van der Poel take first season win today? "It depends on how the race will be on the way and on the final climb" he says

Mathieu van der Poel is a puncheur by excellence, and his skillset is on the verge of fitting today's finale at Tirreno-Adriatico. The Dutchman will give it his all to fight for a stage win but is uncertain if he will be in contention.

“It depends on how the race will be on the way and on the final climb. The last climb is difficult anyway. It will be borderline. It is an arrival that fits perfectly with a Julian Alaphilippe," van der Poel said at the start line today in Greccio.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck showed decent form at Strade Bianche with a 15th position, but seemed to lack that extra percent that is necessary to fight for the victory. Yesterday he led out Jasper Philipsen into what was Alpecin-Deceuninck's first win of the year, and motivation runs high in the Belgian team.

The hilltop finish in Tortoreto is 3.2 kilometers long at 6.9%, but will be raced three times in quick succession. The presence of an incredibly strong field may make it difficult to participate in the finale, but he will look to ride the wheels until the final meters.