Mathieu van der Poel didn't find his best legs in the opening stage of Tour de France: "I didn't have my best day"

Mathieu van der Poel was unable to participate in the fight for victory in the first stage of Tour de France. The Dutchman confirmed that he didn't have the legs he needed to follow the best on the penultimate climb.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider gave his reaction to the press. "I certainly didn't have my best day. Normally I should be able to participate, but only with a super day, and I didn't have that," Van der Poel is clear.

He already felt that he was not having his best day before the final really started. "I already saw the signs that I didn't have the best legs. Obviously that was not a good sign. Then you still hope it gets better, but this final was fair."

Van der Poel unveiled that at the moment, he was still unsure when will be his next chance for stage success but that the stage 2 with Jaizkabel climb (8.1km at 5.2%) in the final will be likely too hard for him.