“Pneumonia is a serious issue” Adrie Van der Poel says Mathieu recovering cautiously after early Tour exit
Cycling
One of the biggest disappointments of this year’s Tour de
France was the unexpected departure of Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman had
won Stage 2, came close on several other occasions, and wore the yellow jersey
multiple times in the opening weeks. His racing brought energy and
unpredictability, a throwback to his spring classics form, and it was clear he
was enjoying himself more than in previous Tours. But after animating much of
the first half of the race, his campaign was cut short by a bout of pneumonia.
Wielerflits spoke to Van der Poel’s father, Adrie, to get an
update on his condition. “I happened to hear on TV today that he apparently
cycled. But I didn't speak to him today. Yesterday morning he sent a message
saying he was doing much better, but he also knows he needs to take it easy for
a few days. Pneumonia is a serious issue. It's better to rest a day too long
than to start an hour too early."
Adrie added that his son might have gone for a short ride if
the weather was good, but said, “Normally he's old and wise enough to follow
that good advice.”
This year marked a change in Van der Poel’s approach to the
Tour, a race he had previously found difficult to enjoy due to limited
opportunities for his strengths. But with more classics-style stages in the
2025 edition, the race suited him better, and he delivered. Before this year,
he hadn’t won a Tour stage in four years.
Reflecting on his son’s performance and the sudden end to
his Tour, Adrie said, “I let things like that go immediately. You shouldn't
remind him of that either. I think the disappointment was really huge this
year, because I think he was incredibly prepared. He wanted that himself,
because there were so many possibilities.
“There were a few things that didn't quite go his way, but
in hindsight, you have to say: winning a stage, challenging for the yellow
jersey, reclaiming it in a spectacular way, riding a day with two riders in
front – fantastic, I think.”
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 4visitors 4
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- 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
Loading
Write a comment