"He can't climb, can't sprint, can't hold his own in the time trial" - De Vlaeminck's opinion on Mathieu van der Poel

Roger De Vlaeminck, one of the most influential Classics riders in cycling history, is known for his unvarnished judgments. In one of his most recent interviews, one remark in particular made headlines: his comparison between Tadej Pogacar and Eddy Merckx - with the key sentence that Pogacar was not a new Merckx. However, the Belgian legend also had skeptical words pointed towards Mathieu van der Poel.

With this clarification, De Vlaeminck deliberately went against the hype that already puts Pogacar on a par with the Belgian icon, and because this statement dominated the attention, a second, even sharper quote almost faded into the background - his merciless analysis of Mathieu van der Poel: "He can't climb, he can't sprint, he can't hold his own in the time trial... there's not much left," he had said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws. This statement in particular shows much more clearly how harshly De Vlaeminck assesses the modern generation.

Roger De Vlaeminck epitomizes an era in which versatility was considered the highest virtue. He won Paris-Roubaix four times, triumphed in all five monuments and was notorious for his ability to compete on any terrain. Those who come from this tradition measure today's riders against an almost impossible ideal: strength in sprints, power in time trials, toughness in the mountains - and the ability to dominate all races.

In the same interview, he drew a clear line between what he calls a "complete racer" and what van der Poel embodies for him. His assessment was ruthless:

In De Vlaeminck's view, this paints a clear picture: van der Poel is spectacular, explosive, technically brilliant - but not universal enough to make it into the top category of all-rounders.

The contrast between the first and second sentence in the interview marks the core of De Vlaeminck's attitude. He does not regard Pogacar and Merckx as riders who are equally proficient in all facets of the sport - on the contrary, he expressly emphasizes that Pogacar is not a new Merckx. Van der Poel, on the other hand, he sees as a modern specialist: outstanding in classic one-day races, in cyclocross or in explosive situations, but limited in the disciplines that De Vlaeminck considers true greatness - whilst not considering his titles on gravel and mountain biking as well.

This collision between the old and new definition of cycling characterizes his statements. What is considered specialization today appears to him as incompleteness.

The fact that van der Poel actually received the harsher criticism in this interview was obscured by the debate about Pogacar and Merckx. But the words show just how consistently De Vlaeminck pursues his line: What counts for him is not the spectacular attack, not the media-effective solo victory, not the cross triumph - but the universal mastery of all racing situations.

Roger De Vlaeminck remains true to his stance: only riders who excel in every discipline deserve the status of all-time greats. Pogacar and Merckx come closest to this ideal. Van der Poel, on the other hand, despite his exceptional abilities, does not fulfill the criterium of a complete racer for him.