Rest heart rate of 34 - Mathieu van der Poel shares insight on physiological numbers that have earned him world titles

Mathieu van der Poel is not only one of the most successful riders in modern cycling, but also the sport's entire history. In virtually every aspect, he is a gifted athlete who was born to be a professional cyclist, and he has revealed values of his regarding physiological data.

His rest heart rate is something that he shared, something that is rarely made public amongst the top athletes in the sport. “The average is 38. The lowest I have on Whoop recorded is 34. So it’s really low," van der Poel said on the Whoop podcast. “But it’s something a lot of endurance athletes have – the heart is really well trained. In general, cyclists are quite low on the heart rate.”

This comes as a result of excellent fitness but also a genetic disposition. Van der Poel, grown in cyclocross as a young rider, was always technically gifted on the bike, but his genetics are undeniable in his rise to fame. He is the grandson of former Eddy Merckx rival Raymond Poulidor and son of Adrie van der Poel, a former cyclocross World Champion as well as monument and Tour de France stage winner. A combination of details have created an athlete with almost no match, who has now won eight elite world titles in cyclocross, more than any other in the history of the sport.

Whilst specific power numbers wouldn't be revealed, the complexity of modern day's tactics means the top teams can very accurately determine the power outputs and nutrition tactics of their rivals. “I don’t mind it, to be honest. Of course, other people and competitors can learn a bit from it, but it will not make the difference in my opinion," he believes. "Some athletes are really strict about it, but I never had a big problem with it.”