"I want to keep getting better and better every year" - Max Poole looks ahead with optimism and praises Romain Bardet's mentorship

Highly rated British prospect Max Poole had an up and down 2024 campaign. Although a nasty crash at Tirreno-Adriatico ruled him out for over four months, Poole finished the season strongly, finishing 2nd at the Vuelta a Burgos and starring in the breakaways of the Vuelta a Espana, without getting the reward of a stage victory.

Reflecting on his development in conversation with Rouleur, Poole has nothing but praise for his Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL support staff. “Working with Matt Winston is really easy. We can speak about anything whether it is bike related or not so I feel really comfortable around him which is the main thing. When I speak to him it’s comfortable and an honest conversation – that makes it easy to deal with things,” Poole explains. “I think I made a step up because of the group I have around me on this team. You’re always working with Matt or the trainer and they have quite a small bubble working with them. I just had to focus on training and looking after myself. When I came back to training after my crash, I worked really hard, when a crash like that happens, it kind of flicks a switch.”

Although, he had previously completed the 2023 Vuelta a Espana, it was at the 2024 edition that the Brit really proved his worth in a three week stage race, showing his immense potential and coming close to the stage victory on a number of occasions. “I think riding a Grand Tour is always something that you look up to doing as a kid, I remember watching the Tour de France on TV when I was a kid,” Poole says noting the perfect mentor he's had at DSM. “When I got to Madrid at the end of the Vuelta it was a really special feeling. Being on a team with Romain Bardet, I think the big thing is just seeing how he is outside the racing. It’s how he looks after himself on training camps and off the bike, that’s a lesson I’ve taken away from spending time with him.”

As for the future, Poole is keeping his options open. “I’m not really a Classics rider at all now but I really liked watching those races growing up,” he explains. “Now, I really just enjoy the process of going through the journey in training, seeing the improvements and then going to races to try and get results there. I think you have to enjoy it to be successful and seeing my progression is what I enjoy.”

“I am realising that small things I could have changed could make a big difference,” the 21-year-old concludes. “To keep seeing improvements is a big thing for me. I have a lot of trust with the team and I want to keep getting better and better every year. I think they will help me to do that.”