"Mathieu van der Poel is a jewel for the sport" - Hennie Kuiper overjoyed for first Dutch Milano-Sanremo victory since his in 1985
Cycling
After Mathieu van der Poel became the first Dutch winner of Milano-Sanremo in 38 years, Hennie Kuiper, the victor back in 1985, has revealed his joy at seeing the hoodoo broken.
“I usually call Adrie after a few days if Mathieu has done something nice. I think it's very special that he follows me. I played football in the garden with little Mathieu," Kuiper tells Algemeen Dagblad. "I was also the last Dutch winner of the Tour of Lombardy for a long time. Until Bauke Mollema won that great competition in 2019. I also have a good feeling with Bauke. I actually think it's wonderful to still experience it all. Because I know how great it is to win Milan-San Remo.”
Sadly for Kuiper however, the 74-year-old wasn't actually able to watch van der Poel's crowning moment. "Television let me down. I don't have the right channels in the holiday home. It's also my fault, I'm not much of a techie," he explains.
But now having finally managed to witness the race, Kuiper cannot hide his joy. "I am very happy that Mathieu won. Mathieu always does things that make you think: it's not really possible," he says. "As a cycling enthusiast, it really makes your heart beat faster. Mentally and physically you have to be so strong for that. He is a jewel for the sport. It is great that he is now also part of the club.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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