"Instagram reels don’t tell the real story" - Mathieu van der Poel turns up the heat in Tour preparation
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel's summer didn't start well in his comeback to mountain bikes. In Nove Mesto World Cup, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider crashed twice and suffered a fracture in his hand. But without panicking, the Dutchman got back to work (training) soon afterwards and two weeks ago rode a more than modest Criterium du Dauphiné, proving that his injury is no longer a nuisance.
After the French stage race, the 30-year-old Dutchman headed back to Spanish Costa Blanca with his regular training buddy Freddy Ovett, and an eye on the Tour de France in two weeks from now. On Strava and Instagram, the duo gives an insight into what those gruelling training rides are like.
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In one of their sessions, filmed from the view of the Australian, we see Van der Poel sprinting uphill in a way only he can. Moments later, the Dutchman is taking a nap on a calm bench in otherwise warm Spanish weather. Then the two riders wrap up the day with a good food.
"Instagram reels don’t tell the real story," reads the caption from Ovett, who has recovered from an injury. "So happy to be able to cycle without pain again. It’s still tough, but I love it," says Ovett. To which Van der Poel quickly replies: "Cycling is never without suffering, right?"
Tour de France starts on July 5 and Van der Poel will be one of the main favourites to wear yellow in the opening week filled with explosive stages in north France.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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