"Of all the riders I've met in my career, Van der Poel is the most impressive I've ever seen" - John Degenkolb

There is currently a generation of supertalents in cycling, riders that will make the history books - both in terms of performances, but also the palmarès they have built. John Degenkolb and Tim Wellens were asked about the most impressive rider in the peloton and they have agreed that Mathieu van der Poel is one of a kind.

Degenkolb, 'Mr. Roubaix', is far past his prime but still performs in what is his favourite race, almost cracking the Top10 this year. He recalls seeing Mathieu van der Poel's performance in the 'Hell of the North' earlier this year and what he felt regarding it. "There was nothing you could do about it today. At least in this peloton. Because you can't forget who couldn't participate. The peloton has lost quite a lot of quality in recent weeks," the German said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Degenkolb, himself a winner of Paris-Roubaix, Milano-Sanremo and stages in all Grand Tours, has no reservations when stating that "of all the riders I've met in my career, Van der Poel is the most impressive I've ever seen. Not just today, everything he's touched in the past two years has turned to gold."

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That can be attested by his results, including two Paris-Roubaix wins, one Tour of Flanders, one World title on the road, one in Gravel, two in Cyclocross, a Milano-Sanremo and more. It's a streak that is only not taken into consideration more because equally the sport has seen another untouchable talent such as Tadej Pogacar take to the road simultaneously.

"I don't think it's possible to do anything about it, but I'm not frustrated when I have to race against a rider like that," Wellens says of the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider, knowing the sheer talent that van der Poel holds. "I look at it with admiration. It's not like Mathieu is sitting at home on the couch and then comes to win. We also have one like that in the team, he's also at a different level," he refers to Pogacar. "Van der Poel probably works the hardest of them all. I see that with Tadej too."

Wellens complements the two, arguing that the amount of training and work put in between races really does set them apart from many others. "Everyone always talks about his super talent, but at the end of the year he always has the most kilometers, the most hours on the bike and the highest 'training stress score'. It doesn't just happen."

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