"Mathieu has never raced to finish fifteenth" - Adrie van der Poel knew his son had the form to capture Tour de France victory
CyclingMonday, 13 July 2026 at 11:30
Mathieu van der Poel's complicated relationship with the Tour de France got a whole lot better on Sunday as the former world champion surged to a resounding breakaway win - one he likely had targeted long before the race.
As Alpecin - Premier Tech endured a frustrating first week in the sprints, many speculated whether van der Poel was in form or motivated to chase victories at La Grand Boucle, with his lead-outs for Jasper Philipsen unsuccessful after three attempts.
But just as frustration boiled over for Alpecin, the Dutchman delivered a reprieve as he got himself into a winning move. Despite a strong chase from UAE, Lidl-Trek and INEOS, van der Poel and his breakaway survivors Tom Pidcock, Tobias Johannessen and Alex Baudin.
Dominating the sprint, van der Poel picked up just his third stage win at the Tour de France. For his father, legendary cyclist Adrie van der Poel, the Tour de France has often offered little opportunities for his son, but he likes the Tour when he gets to go for the win.
"When he wins, yes!," Adrie joked in an interview with Cyclism'Actu.
Adrie van der Poel delighted as son takes win
"There was a Tour where not a single stage suited him. In those situations, I understand why he wonders what he's doing there. It's good to work for Jasper [Philipsen], but today he was able to race for himself."
Adrie responded to criticism of his son during the week, and insisted he knew that Mathieu had the potential to strike gold at the grand tour.
He continued: "I was convinced he was doing very well. But he'd already seen from the start that the stages were far too difficult, with climbs of seven kilometers. If he's truly at his peak and the weather's a bit cooler, he can make it through."
Alpecin frustration turns to celebrations
"But Mathieu has never raced to finish fifteenth. He's always been like that. When he has a chance to win, he gives it his all. Otherwise, he takes it easy."
Pressure has certainly been relieved in the Alpecin team bus, and it's exactly what the team needed, Adrie said. He highlighted that the team can now push on for victory.
Read also
"All we needed was a win. We know very well that we can't win every sprint. There are some very strong sprinters like Kooij and Merlier. But I've always said it: we have to keep believing," Adrie said.
"We just need to win one. There might still be one or two more stages for Jasper. Maybe he'll go for another victory. But the hardest part is now over!"
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- That was the Mou that hides the forest of Mous.Mistermaumau13-07-2026
- I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and lived there till my 19th birthday, then my parents moved back to Croatia, Split. Now I,ve been living here for 26 years, and since the second Trump term, I started to hate America. I mean, really hate the stupid Maga Trump supporters, they make me puke. Anything else you would like to know?mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales13-07-2026
- Didn’t you once tell us about being in Ohio (Cleveland? Cinci? I forget) for many years and that is why you understood America so well?RidesHills13-07-2026
- 'Wins by minutes, not seconds' - that's almost exactly what Vingegaard said before the final week in the 2023 Tour (the Tour will be won by minutes, not seconds), when he turned his lead of a few seconds over Pogacar into an advantage of several minutes in just two days. That's how confident of his ability he was then, when he could more than match Pogacar. People talk more about Pog because he wins different types of races too.Hills3313-07-2026
- I live in Croatia, and I have relatives in Slovenia. I never lived in the West. I'm a Balkan "boy." You Westerners have no soul, no feeling for life, no real happiness, you're like robots... except the Italians and Spaniards, they know how to live. We in the Balkans enjoy life, it's not all about the money. Capish?mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales13-07-2026
- I had a long answer with evidence of what has changed for Pogačar in the past 5 years, but decided to delete all that. A question: would any evidence answer your questions or will you just raise them, without evidence or answers, no matter what people say? I ask honestly. An answer would help all of us know how or whether to respond to you. Thank you.RidesHills13-07-2026
- Well, Mühlberger's omission was a big mistake
Rafionain-Glas13-07-2026 - a world.class athlete being this much better than he was just 5 years ago is suspicious.. The fact that he is percentage points better than anyone else in a sport that is not based on skill but ability is curious. Hi bike isn't better, they all train amazingly hard, yet he wins by minutes, not seconds. People are going to talk.Spike031113-07-2026
- Oh shut up you twat. No-one wants to hear your voice.Rafionain-Glas13-07-2026
- Major pain, why weren't they looking to sprint with Pogačar?Rafionain-Glas13-07-2026
Loading
Write a comment