"It was a very special day" - Van der Poel 'proud and grateful' following stage 9 dedicated to his grandfather Raymond Poulidor
Cycling
Stage 9 of the 2023 Tour de France was full of tributes to the legendary Raymond Poulidor. A truly emotional and unforgettable day for his grandson Mathieu van der Poel.
"It was a very special day, especially with the start in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, where I cycled as a child in the summer," recapped the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider who was visibly emotional prior to the start of the stage in his late grandfather's hometown.
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Finishing atop the historic Puy de Dome, van der Poel was never really a realistic challenger for the stage win. Riding the day on a specially customed bike adorned with pictures of Poulidor's victories, the day was still very memorable for the 28-year-old Dutchman.
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"The finish at Puy de Dome was also impressive. There were a lot of people cheering on the sidelines," van der Poel continues. “It wasn't a stage for me to do anything special, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I am proud and grateful that I was able to experience a day like this in the Tour."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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