"For me, it's the greatest victory of his career" – David describes career highlight for Mathieu van der Poel
Cycling
David van der Poel always knew his younger brother was
different. It didn’t take long to see it, especially on a bike.
“As long as I can remember, he could do things technically
on the bike that I never could,” David said in an appearance on De Avondetappe.
“That realization came quickly.”
Mathieu van der Poel wore the yellow jersey yesterday as the
Tour passed over the Mur de Bretagne. He didn’t win this time, but just riding
the iconic climb in yellow brought back memories. In 2021, he won there, and
pulled on the yellow jersey in tribute to their grandfather, Raymond Poulidor.
“For me, it's the greatest victory of his career, especially
because of the emotional connection with our grandfather,” David said. “I
prefer to watch it at home, at my leisure. Not that I'll watch it again, but
it'll come up again, of course. It'll definitely be high on his list of
greatest victories, but a race with a jersey attached will be even higher.
Along with his World Championship title, it's his greatest victory, I
think."
He reflected on their childhood rivalry during a previous appearance
on Vive Le Vélo. “That competition regularly led to 'fights,’” he laughed.
“We're both competitive, but Mathieu is a bit more extreme than me. He's always
been a bit of a loser. He loves cycling, board games, and other sports.”
David never resented being in the shadow of his younger
brother. “I also won cyclocross races as a junior, so I didn't mind. That was
my main focus, and I especially enjoyed it when he won in his category.”
And when it comes to the rivalry that defined a generation,
he sees it clearly: “Wout definitely made him better, and vice versa. They
pushed each other to a higher level all winter long. If one achieved something,
the other had to do the same.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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