Mathieu van der Poel on Tadej Pogacar: “He is one of the most talented riders we have ever seen"

Mathieu van der Poel is set to take part in the Tour de France for the third time in his career, has big ambitions of taking the Yellow Jersey during the opening of the race in the Basque Country. When it come to carrying yellow into Paris however, he finds it hard to look past his good friend Tadej Pogacar.

"That's a really cool guy," he says in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. “He is one of the most talented riders we have ever seen. Win the Tour and the Ronde in these times. It's very special what he does. He always acts very normal. If you meet him, you wouldn't think he's one of the best riders in the world. That he is sporty? Yes, that's a bit peculiar to our time."

The pair went head-to-head in a few Spring Classics earlier this year with van der Poel taking the win at Milano-Sanremo and Pogacar victorious at the Tour of Flanders. "You have to fight hard in the race, but you have to be able to be correct next to it. We also often run into each other, it's a small world," the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider explains.

" A week later you have to fight each other again," van der Poel continues. "There are a few assholes in the peloton, but the riders who ride in front have less than riders who have to fight for it. I think that is partly due to our role as an example.”

So what of the Tour de France? As mentioned, van der Poel has ambitions of taking the Maillot Jaune in the Basque Country and is also expected to team up with teammate Jasper Philipsen.

“I like to do the lead-out of Jasper but not always what comes before,” says Van der Poel. “You always have to be attentive because that is not without risk. It's wringing and positioning, so watch out. However, it is necessary to make yourself wide, otherwise you will not get to the front. I think I'm a good lead-out for Jasper. I can go full on from him and it just clicks well. Is he my best buddy in the race? He is definitely one of my best friends.”