“He's not stupid you know” – Alpecin boss hits back at Mathieu van der Poel critics

After weeks of uncertainty following a wrist injury suffered during a mountain bike race in May, Mathieu van der Poel look set to start the 2025 Tour de France on July 5th. It will be the nine time world champion’s (across 3 disciplines) fifth appearance at the race, and though his relationship with the Tour has always been complicated, Alpecin-Deceuninck believe this year’s route offers a rare alignment of opportunity and motivation.

Van der Poel has already delivered another standout season in 2025, claiming victories at both Milano–Sanremo and Paris–Roubaix to further cement his status as one of the great one-day racers of all time. With several stages in the opening week and a half of the Tour favouring classics specialists, Van der Poel is expected to target early stage wins before switching focus to the mountain bike later in the season.

However, Van der Poel’s multi-discipline focus (balancing road racing, cyclocross, gravel, and mountain biking) has drawn criticism in recent weeks, with some questioning whether it hampers his long-term goals or his full potential in any single discipline.

Alpecin-Deceuninck team boss Philip Roodhooft has now responded to those criticisms in a revealing interview with Helden Magazine, defending both Van der Poel’s race schedule and the team's unorthodox philosophy.

“The Tour is not his favourite race, but whose rider is? Maybe Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard,” Roodhooft said. “It is so busy and hectic before, during and after each stage.”

He argued that while the Tour de France remains the most important event on the calendar, it is far from the most enjoyable, for riders or journalists.

“Look, when I ask journalists what the most important race of the year is, they all say: the Tour. But when I ask which race is more pleasant to work on? Most will answer: the Giro or the Vuelta. That goes for cyclists too.”

Still, Roodhooft acknowledged the power and prestige of the Tour, noting that a stage win there holds more impact than anywhere else.

“The Tour is the biggest. The impact of winning a Tour stage is so much bigger than winning a stage in the Giro or the Vuelta. Mathieu is more than intelligent enough to know that too. He's not stupid, you know.”

Usually, van der Poel’s role at the Tour is to deliver Jasper Philipsen to stage victories, and van der Poel actually has one stage win to his name. This seems small for a man of his talent, but that could change in 2025.

Roodhooft believes that ASO, the organisers of the Tour, have gone out of their way in 2025 to design a course that encourages participation from versatile stars like Van der Poel and Wout van Aert, acknowledging that the presence of such names enhances the event’s spectacle and reach.

“In 2025, the organisation has mapped out a course with a number of stages that fit Mathieu's profile well. I think after the 2024 Tour, the ASO has consciously opted for stages more suitable for riders like Mathieu and Wout.”

According to Roodhooft, this balance of opportunities makes the Tour not just compatible with Van der Poel’s ambitions, but a vital part of a season that also includes the Mountain Bike World Championships in September.

“This year there are a number of good opportunities for Mathieu in the Tour. After that, there is still enough time to participate well-prepared in the World Mountain Bike Championships. So it does not conflict this year.”

The Dutchman’s ambitions extend beyond the current season. Roodhooft hinted that Van der Poel is already laying the groundwork for a run at Olympic gold in mountain biking at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, making his return to the discipline this autumn even more significant.

“Now it all fits. We also know that it will take some time to be completely top of the mountain biking game again. The 2028 Games may also be in the back of his mind. That may seem a long way off, but to be good in Los Angeles, Mathieu has to start working on it now.”

The Alpecin-Deceuninck approach, built on mutual trust and flexibility, is rare in modern pro cycling, where specialisation and marginal gains dominate. Yet Roodhooft is adamant that giving Van der Poel the freedom to pursue all three disciplines, and even post Instagram photos water skiing, is precisely what has kept him happy, healthy, and winning.

“We’ve been giving Mathieu that space for fifteen years… We don’t feel he’s taking irresponsible risks. And if it goes wrong, everyone can say: very stupid. But it’s worked for the past fifteen years.”

“We don’t tell Mathieu to choose one or the other,” he continued. “We combine a degree of freedom with discipline. And all of that in a framework that is professional enough to meet the standards of cycling today.”