"It will be his ambition to try to win those other two Monuments" - Gianni Vermeersch on Mathieu van der Poel

A long-time teammate of Mathieu van der Poel, Gianni Vermeersch has spoken of his pride at the Dutchman's recent accomplishments and believes he is more than capable to complete the set of monument victories.

"In my opinion, the ambition will be to try to win those other two Monuments," Vermeersch declares of his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate. "Liège-Bastogne-Liège he can win without a doubt, the Tour of Lombardy will be a bit more difficult. But never say never, the chance is definitely there. He has already finished top ten there. Provided the ideal conditions and a good day, I think Mathieu is capable of anything."

Most recently of course, van der Poel raced to a thrilling victory at Paris-Roubaix with fellow Alpecin-Deceuninck rider Jasper Philipsen making it a one-two finish for the team. Vermeersch himself came home in 11th and was understandably delighted by how things transpired. 

"We were so euphoric after the race. We really took control of the course from the start," the 30-year-old Belgian explains. "When Mathieu wins, but you have dropped some stitches as a team, you sometimes think: 'Couldn't I have done this or that?' Last Sunday, on the other hand, we absolutely did not drop any stitches. It was 100 percent the perfect course for us."