"If that doesn't happen, I will be at peace" - Tour de France win not a make or break for Mathieu van der Poel

Mathieu van der Poel is a rider that has won at the Tour de France on two different occasions and has also worn the yellow jersey on different editions. How to improve on that? Perhaps it is not possible for a classics specialist and puncheur, but instead the Alpecin - Premier Tech leader is going into this year's edition with less pressure and maintaining his focus on the remaining goals of the year.

The race starts off with a team time trial in Barcelona. Whilst the Dutchman put in an impressive effort at the Tour de Suisse to only narrowly lose out to Tadej Pogacar, he believes that the chances of reaching or being within reach of the yellow jersey after the first day are slim.

"Hopefully we can spring a surprise, but it will be difficult. We have invested a lot of time in it," van der Poel said in words to NOS. "And with the riders we have, we should be able to ride a good time. The plan is to stay in the running to potentially go for that yellow jersey again in the days following".

With the hilly finale in Montjuic on day two, it is not impossible to see van der Poel raise his arms in glory early in the race - although with Tadej Pogacar present, that will always be difficult.

"But you have riders like Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel. If they set their sights on it, then it will be very difficult. But we are going to try".

Van der Poel was an absolute leader in his first participations in the race, but in recent years he took up a leadout role for Jasper Philipsen, something he has excelled in and has helped take the pressure off him.

The mindset heading into the Tour is one of relaxation, and the lack of pressure he's experienced before - partly from his own way of eyeing the race. "I haven't looked at the entire route book yet. I'm trying to take it a bit day by day. Everything is a bonus. Nothing is mandatory anymore. My career is already more than successful. That makes it really fun".

"Of course I still put pressure on myself; I want to win as many beautiful and big races as possible, but if that doesn't happen, I will be at peace with that too," he argues. Later on in the year, he will aim for the MTB rainbow jersey, the only major world title he is yet to achieve in his career.

12 months ago he won in Boulogne-sur-Mer and wore the yellow jersey on two separate periods at the Tour, something that he would ideally be repeating in the 2026 Grand Depart. "Hopefully, I can be at the start in the same form this year. So I can go for stage wins and show some great things".