“It's all coming along gradually” - Tibor Del Grosso embraces Mathieu van der Poel comparisons at the European Championships

The Netherlands lines up for today’s men’s European Championships road race with one of the youngest squads in the field. Without Mathieu van der Poel, national coach Koos Moerenhout has turned to new faces like Tibor Del Grosso, Huub Artz, and Menno Huising, aiming to build for the future rather than fight for instant results. The course’s early climbing makes the race a brutal test, but for 22-year-old Del Grosso, it’s a chance to learn at the highest level.

"That's very special and very nice, after the great progress I've made this year," said Del Grosso to In de Leiderstrui, reflecting on his season that included strong rides in Catalunya, Dwars door Vlaanderen, and top-twelve finishes in several stage races.

“Then it's difficult to really peak, while many guys have really been working towards the World Championships with altitude training and all that. I think my form is good, so I hope to have two good races on Sunday and next week at the World Clay Championships. I've never raced against Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar before, so it's going to be incredibly tough. Despite that, I'm in good spirits.”

Moerenhout praised his young rider’s progress. "Tibor is a guy who performed very well in the U23 category on a wide variety of courses. He's continuing that trend with the pros, so that's positive to see," he said. “He's one of those guys you hope will continue to develop, so it's great that he's here at the European Championships. The same goes for Huub Artz and Menno Huising, guys you want to get to know better and involve in the whole KNWU experience."

The coach knows the race will be unforgiving. "It's a very tough race, with a few clear favorites. Not exactly our cup of tea, but with a young and fresh team, this European Championship is especially important for the future. With a 4-kilometer climb from the start, something's bound to happen, so we have to make sure we're in the mix in those first 1.5 hours. I expect them to really put the pedal to the metal on that first long loop, so you have to see what's left and what you can create from there. The last few races have shown that you don't get much space anyway, but we'll look for a gap."

For Del Grosso, the terrain poses its own challenge. “That short climb in the final course (the Val d'Enfer) is also seriously steep. I hear the same thing about that other, longer climb in the main loop. That's quite difficult if you're a bit bigger and heavier like me."

The young Dutchman’s path from cyclocross to the road has invited inevitable comparisons with his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Mathieu van der Poel. “It's all coming along gradually,” he admitted. “Of course, I haven't been sitting still these past few years, and cyclocross has been going well for quite some time. The attention is just great, and it's also a kind of confirmation that you're doing well and are one of the best riders in the Netherlands. I don't really feel any pressure from it."

Not all the news for the Dutch camp is positive, though. Dylan van Baarle, one of the squad’s most experienced riders, is expected to miss the start after a heavy crash in Wednesday’s time trial won by Remco Evenepoel.

"Dylan took a big tumble, so he's also having problems with his elbow and ribs, and that naturally limits you from putting in maximum effort," Moerenhout explained. “We think it's realistic that you'll notice an improvement after three days. Hopefully, that's the case; then he'll be riding. But if he can't fully pull on the handlebars and things like that, he won't start.”