"Mathieu knows that there are opportunities in Basque Country" - Alpecin-Deceuninck DS Christoph Roodhooft

Last year's Tour de France was a catastrophy for Mathieu van der Poel which is why the 28-year old hopes to leave better impression this year. There'll be numerous opportunities to strike, including a royal chance to take yellow jersey in opening stages in Basque Country.

In an interview with the Dutch daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, Roodhooft indicates that Van der Poel has not yet explored the Basque roads, while the DS has already done the necessary research. "That is our regular pattern. Mathieu checks it out once he gets there. And of course he knows that we are doing our job. At the same time, he also knows that there are opportunities. That is in every preview," explains the former cycling pro.

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"It is certainly not easy, but it is doable for a Van der Poel in good shape," Roodhooft continues about the stages with Basque climbs. "Perhaps it is an advantage for us that it is very early in the Tour for the classification teams. That the race will therefore proceed in a different way. The first two stages are beautiful."

"He wasn't in good form last year. That really wasn't fun. That won't happen to him any time soon. Now he will go to the Tour in good condition. Then better results will follow."

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Final startlist Tour de France with BIB | Vingegaard, Pogacar, Cavendish, Van der Poel, Van Aert, Alaphilippe, Bernal, Pidcock, Sagan and Girmay