"They are aliens" - Tibor del Grosso does not want to be a copy of Mathieu van der Poel

The young Alpecin-Premier Tech rider opens his road campaign on the white roads of Tuscany after a winter in cyclocross, but admits he still needs racing rhythm to reach his best level.

Tibor del Grosso will begin his road season this Saturday at the Strade Bianche, carrying the momentum of a busy winter campaign in cyclocross.

The year 2026 in mud is marked by his second place in the cyclo-cross world championships held in Hulst, where he finished behind his teammate Mathieu van der Poel, who won his eighth world title. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication. He was only beaten by the man no one dares to beat.

The young rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech completed a training camp after the end of the muddy season and believes he arrives on the white roads of Tuscany ready to see where his legs really stand. “The training camp went well, but those road races always seem to arrive very quickly,” Del Grosso told Het Nieuwsblad.

“I’m still not entirely sure if I’ve fully recovered from all the training. I think I’ll need the Strade Bianche and the Tirreno-Adriatico to really reach my best level,” he explained, avoiding any exaggerated expectations ahead of the start of his road campaign.

Strade Bianche is a demanding race shaped by gravel sectors and a series of punchy climbs, a course profile that often suits the strongest climbers. With several major names on the start list, Tibor del Grosso approaches the race cautiously. “There are external expectations around Strade,” he added, “but there’s a reason why Mathieu van der Poel won’t be there on Saturday. Strade has really become a climbing race. That says enough about the ambition I can have there. Saturday is not a goal for me.”

The 22-year-old Dutch rider is frequently compared to his compatriot Mathieu van der Poel. During the 2025 spring classics, Del Grosso produced an excellent performance at Dwars door Vlaanderen, finishing sixth, a result that naturally invited comparisons with the former world champion.

Del Grosso understands why people look for a connection, but he does not believe in the comparison himself. “Mathieu is a very relaxed guy and it’s fun to race with him and laugh together,” he said. “But he’s so good that I can’t really learn much from him. When I saw him attack 100 kilometres from the finish at the Renewi Tour last year, it didn’t seem very smart to think: I should do that as well.”

Even when his abilities are described in similar terms, he continues to dismiss that narrative. “I understand what people mean and in a way the comparison with Mathieu is a compliment. But many people seem to forget just how exceptional he is. He and Pogacar are not human, they are aliens. In my mind, there is no ‘new Van der Poel’,” Del Grosso concluded.

With a very high-level start list on Saturday and with the Tirreno-Adriatico getting underway next Monday, we will have to wait a little longer to see the best version of Del Grosso.