“Cycling without fans is boring” – Pogacar and Van der Poel react to 28,000 police officers at Tour de France Grand Depart

The 2025 Tour de France begins today in Lille under unprecedented security, with 28,000 police officers deployed for the Grand Départ. The visible presence reflects the heightened alert status surrounding the opening stages of the race, where there will be tension both within the bunch and in the crowds too.

"It's a big event, so you know that there's a lot of attention on it," Mathieu van der Poel told De Telegraaf. "Do I feel unsafe? To be honest, I don't think about it. That's not really handy when you have to ride a Tour de France. You want to keep your focus on the race."

Despite the security around the riders, Van der Poel tries to tune it out once racing begins. "Of course you see a lot of police here, but once I'm in the race, I don't really notice it. I don't think that's a way to live, when you're always busy with the dangers of this world."

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar acknowledged the complexity of the situation: "That makes it dangerous for us and yes, they cause problems. The other side is that cycling without fans is boring. When your name is called, it gives you extra motivation.”