"I was ashamed of my own region" - Mathieu van der Poel's teammate shocked by boos and spitting during E3 Saxo Classic
Cycling
The E3 Saxo Classic was the Mathieu van der Poel show last week but not everyone in Belgium was excited to see the Dutchman dominate the competition once again. His right-hand man Gianni Vermeersch, a local, was ashamed that the cyclocross and gravel World Champion was booed and spat on during the race.
"We never really talk about it. But I know that this does something to Mathieu," Vermeersch said in words to Het Nieuwsblad. "When we rode to the podium before the start, there was a lot of booing. I was ashamed of my own region where I grew up, while I would have liked to be proud that the Tour was back in Bruges."
Vermeersch is a rider that is in strong form and for the past few years has been key to van der Poel's success in the spring classics. But whilst he would otherwise be fully motivated to race close to home in the most important events for him, he now has mixed feelings after seeing how his teammate is treated by a few fans on the road.
"Mathieu said at the time that he thought it was a shame that the public reacted like that. Such a beautiful moment as the start is overshadowed by that," he argues. "I even took it personally, I couldn't believe that this was happening. I was deeply ashamed."
This Sunday at the Tour of Flanders the riders will be going through the exact same area, and Vermeersch hopes that the Dutchman doesn't once again come out of the day with reasons to complain over the behaviour of fans - something that in cyclocross is also seen at times.
"I hope that people behave. The best thing would be to personally address those people about their behavior, but it is often herd behavior. What Mathieu has achieved in the meantime is even more impressive than then," he concludes. "I hope that the public sees that and will now use their common sense."
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💥 Get ready for the 109th @RondeVlaanderen this Sunday!
— Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team (@AlpecinDCK) April 4, 2025
Mathieu van der Poel, our 3-time winner and defending champion, is prepared for another epic showdown. Mathieu and teammates are focused and ready to tackle the iconic cobbles and Flemish hills.
As always, MvdP is… pic.twitter.com/BC6X7nmRb9
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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.
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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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