“He was riding like a boss, right at the front" - Sven Nys sees Mathieu van der Poel's experience as key in stage 2 win at 2025 Tour de France

It has been a dream start to the 2025 Tour de France for Alpecin-Deceuninck. After Jasper Philipsen took the win and the Maillot Jaune on stage 1, Mathieu van der Poel followed suit on stage 2, winning the stage and the taking the Yellow Jersey from his teammate. According to Belgian icon Sven Nys, it was Van der Poel's experience that proved key.

“They’ve scooped up everything there is to win,” Nys says of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team's early Tour success on the latest episode of the Sporza Tour podcast with Christophe Vandegoor. “I’d say: enjoy it and make the most of every moment. Every team dreams of a start like this.”

“He was riding like a boss, right at the front. Kevin Vauquelin and Julian Alaphilippe upped the tempo — and suddenly there he was. Van der Poel had to respond to that acceleration," Nys continues. "He found himself in the lead earlier than expected, but the wind wouldn’t have played a major role in those narrow streets. You could see he had another gear left. Pogacar was already a metre back when he launched, and there was no coming back from that. In the end, it was sheer power that triumphed over Pogacar’s punchiness.”

With this just the second stage win in Van der Poel's Tour de France career, the Dutchman hasn't had the best relationship with the sport's biggest race over the years. With this year's route offering plenty of opportunity for a Van der Poel-type rider however, this stage win could now be the first of many.

“He’s gained experience. The younger Van der Poel might have gone too early. This time, he waited and then sealed the victory with authority,” Nys analyses, before referencing the relative lack of success Van der Poel has had at the Tour. “He’s seen the darker side of it too. And he’s admitted that. Perhaps it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship. But in the lead-up to this Tour, he shared a few clips on social media that showed he was really in a good rhythm.”

“He even rode the Dauphiné with a slight fracture in his wrist. It clearly hasn’t rattled him," the Belgian adds in conclusion. "We’ll need to keep a close eye on him in the coming days.”