"I need stages like that to get better" - Mathieu van der Poel still far from best form but positive after climbing test
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel hoped to be in contention for today's stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, but the climbs have exposed his relative lack of form currently. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider talks of the need for hard days such as this.
“It was clear that I had trouble with the pace. It was a very hard finish, maybe a little too hard. Obviously I didn't have the best legs, but I need stages like that to get better," van der Poel said in a post-race interview. The Dutchman was dropped in the two times the riders rode over the final ascent to Tortoreto, and then voluntarily dropped in the final ascent after leading out teammate Robert Stannard.
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It was a tough test for van der Poel, who sees himself still below his best level. It won't come as a shock, but the difficulties climbing most likely mean that stage 6 will also be too far of a reach for the classics specialist to fight for the victory. As he builds towards the cobbled classics, he hopes this work does it's effect.
“But we are here to sharpen the form. I was good the last two days, but today was a little less, but we'll see again tomorrow. There are still a few tough stages ahead. My goals are after the Tirreno," van der Poel concluded.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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@JasperPhilipsen 💙 @mathieuvdpoel What a way to win our first race of the road season! Bingo for @JasperPhilipsen and #AlpecinDeceuninck in stage 4 of @TirrenAdriatico 🏆 #AlpecinDeceuninck #TirrenoAdriatico2023
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