Mathieu van der Poel ready to test the legs on stage 3 of Tirreno-Adriatico: "I'm not scared, but we'd rather have dry weather and some sunshine than this"
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel is feeling confident ahead of stage 3
of Tirreno-Adriatico, which presents the first real hilly test of the race.
While the 239km stage is expected to favour climbers, the final ascent to Valico
di Colfiorito may not be tough enough to rule out other contenders. The 18.5km
climb averages just over 3%, making it less selective than the more punishing
ascents still to come.
This could open the door for Van der Poel to have a say in
the outcome, though the rainy conditions could add an extra challenge. Before
the start, the Dutchman shared his thoughts on the impact of the weather and
his expectations for the stage.
Read also
"I'm not scared, but we'd rather have dry weather and
some sunshine than this. For now it seems to be okay, but we are prepared for
rain on the way," he said.
With uncertainty surrounding how the stage will unfold, Van
der Poel remains cautious but optimistic about his chances of staying in
contention.
“It’s always a bit difficult to estimate. You have the
profiles, but you only know how difficult it is when you’re there yourself.
Normally I should be able to survive.”
Read also
While some might expect an early attack from the Dutchman,
he dismissed the idea of going in the breakaway, believing the race will be too
controlled for that to be a real option.
"The flight is not an option, maybe one of the next few
days. I think it will be a bit too controlled, but it is always possible."
Read also
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
- I'm picking .... .... Never mind 🫥flyer07-11-2026
- If Tiberi has a better and more consistent 2027 I somehow doubt it will be because of this victorious warning. Unless his preparation has been off, cycling isn't football.flyer07-11-2026
- Love this guy. He is such a pure racer.mij07-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments









