"I'm not disappointed at all" - Mathieu van der Poel shrugs off modest performance at Strade Bianche
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel was one of the big favourites for today's Strade Bianche. It was only his first race of the season however, and that was visible as the Dutchman struggled in the race he had won in 2021.
"The feeling wasn't that bad, but personally I didn't expect the best version of myself right now," van der Poel told reporters at the Piazza del Campo in Siena. “I still need some race hardness and that is normal. I survived the most difficult gravel sections well, but my legs were not good enough to follow the decisive attack.”
Van der Poel, like all main contenders, did not answer to the initial attack of Tom Pidcock which ended up earning him a brilliant solo victory. The Alpecin-Deceuninck leader, successor of Pidcock as cyclocross World Champion, responded at the exist of Monte Sante Marie, but that was the last time he would be in contention for a top position.
As the race settled afterwards, van der Poel did not have the legs to follow the strongest chasers. He was then battling for minor spots, with the Top10 at best. "I'm not disappointed at all," he admits however. "I will continue to build on my form in Tirreno-Adriatico next week. That is exactly what we had in mind when we put together my program.”
Van der Poel crossed the line in 15th position in the first big group. As he builds towards the cobbled classics, it was a modest first day out - a brutal one however. “We knew that the period between the Cyclo-cross World Cup and Strade Bianche was going to be short. I've tried to be good here, but the best version of myself is yet to come," he concluded.
After taking two weeks off the bike in February the result doesn't come as a surprise. Van der Poel now moves to Tirreno-Adriatico where he will have more opportunities to test himself and build form ahead of his main goals.
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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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- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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Who wore it better? 😍 1️⃣ - #AlpecinFenix (#AlpecinDeceuninck) at @giroditalia 2022 2️⃣ - @FenixDeceuninck at @StradeBianche 2023 #VerdeComodoro 💚
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