“He definitely feels it” – Mathieu van der Poel's loyal lieutenant admits Milano-Sanremo crash is still affecting Alpecin leader
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel is heading into the cobbled Classics still feeling the effects of his Milano-Sanremo crash, with Alpecin teammate Silvan Dillier admitting the injury has not gone away.
Van der Poel was left with a hand issue after crashing on the run-in to the Cipressa, later revealing he struggled to properly hold his handlebars in the decisive phase of the race.
While he was still able to follow the key move on the climb, he could not respond when Tadej Pogacar attacked on the Poggio, as the race split for good.
Now, days on from Sanremo, the problem remains. “The hand is kind of okay. I think he still… he definitely feels it,” Dillier told Cycling News. “If it bothers him too much in a race situation, I don’t know, but when he’s at the start line, he will be our leader, for sure, no doubt.”
Not severe, but not gone
That assessment places Van der Poel in an uncomfortable middle ground. He is not dealing with an injury serious enough to stop him from racing. But equally, he is not fully clear of it, and that distinction becomes more important as the demands increase.
Milano-Sanremo already offered a first indication. The race was ridden harder into the Cipressa than usual, stretching the effort and reducing the margin for error before the Poggio. Van der Poel still made the selection, underlining that his level remains high, but the combination of that longer effort and the aftermath of the crash left him just short when it mattered most.
Mathieu van der Poel at Milano-Sanremo 2026
A different test awaits
The concern now is not what happened in Sanremo, but what comes next. Cobbled racing places constant stress on the hands and upper body, turning even minor issues into something harder to manage over repeated sectors. It is the kind of environment where discomfort can build, rather than fade.
Greg van Avermaet pointed to that risk in the immediate aftermath of Sanremo. “As long as it’s not a bone, it’s manageable on the cobbles. But that nail was split, and anyone who's lost a nail knows how painful that can be.”
Van der Poel has already shown he is strong enough to compete with the very best. The uncertainty is whether he can do so without limitation.
For now, the message from within his own team is clear. He will start, and he will lead. But as Dillier’s words underline, the problem he picked up in Italy is still very much present.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment