"I looked back and Mathieu was there... How is that possible?!": Tim van Dijke stunned by the phenomenal Van der Poel
Cycling
Tim van Dijke’s display at the E3 Saxo Classic confirmed that his second place at Omloop Nieuwsblad on his 2026 road debut was no fluke. The Dutchman lit up the race with a powerful move on the Taaienberg, where only Mathieu van der Poel could follow his wheel. He could be a major card for the Tour of Flanders.
Days later, on Vive le Vélo, Van Dijke recalled the move with a touch of disbelief. His attack came roughly 70 kilometres from the line, at a key point of the race, and even surprised the rider himself: "It was a very special moment, especially looking back on it."
He explained he had prepared that sector well and chose to anticipate the favourites. "I was well positioned and had invested a lot in it. Stuyven pushed really hard, but I thought: 'I’d better get over it now, otherwise they’ll hit me from behind.'"
The most striking moment came when he glanced back after accelerating. "When I looked back, only Mathieu was there and I thought: 'Wow, how is that possible?!'" It was an implicit nod to the Dutch star's level, who not only matched the move but later made the decisive difference.
The price of the effort
Just a few kilometres later, on the Boigneberg, Van Dijke paid for the effort. That was when Van der Poel launched his decisive attack, distancing his compatriot. Van Dijke accepted it with good humour: "That’s how it is," he laughed.
They later discussed that sequence, which produced another telling line from the Alpecin-Premier Tech leader. "After the Flanders race, I asked him why he had attacked. He answered: 'The way you rode up the Taaienberg, I was definitely coming along.'"
The Dutchman drew clear lessons for the future: "From now on, I need to know that if we’re in a group and no one follows us, Mathieu will attack. In that case, I’d be better off skipping two turns. But there’s also a difference in endurance, level, and training."
Strategy and instinct
Edward Planckaert was also in that chase group, which raised questions about possible temporary alliances. Van Dijke admitted he considered it: "That’s what I had in mind. And I thought (on the Boigneberg): 'There he goes, no!'"
From the team car, Sven Vanthourenhout also weighed in, highlighting Van der Poel’s unpredictability: "We know that Mathieu often races on instinct or intuition. That doesn’t help us much in the moment, but it happened."
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
The twins’ anecdote
Beyond the racing, the Van Dijke twins continue to spark light moments in the bunch. Tim shares Red Bull - BORA with his twin brother Mick van Dijke, and the pair starred in a comic scene at Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.
Presenter Karl Vannieuwkerke tried to interview Tim before the start, but he redirected him to his brother. "It’s tricky, isn’t it, guys?" joked the journalist. "I need to ask Tim a question," he said, unaware of the mix-up. When he realised, he could only respond: "You’re having me on.! The brothers, laughing, enjoyed the moment.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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