"This has just been an amazing experience" - Mathieu van der Poel on Giro d'Italia debut

After a late start to the season, Mathieu van der Poel quickly gained form and took the wins at Dwars door Vlaanderen and Tour des Flandres. It was a successful spring for the Dutchman, who went on to make his debut in the Giro d'Italia without taking much rest from the spring block. However, fatigue was no issue, despite the relentless three weeks of racing.

After winning the opening stage into Visegrád, van der Poel rode the pink jersey all the way into Mount Etna where the long climbs quickly made a mark on him. Nevertheless he rode a constantly aggressive race from there on, riding himself into breakaways on five different occasions. In Napoli and Lavarone he was not far off from wins, however from the last two weeks of racing there hasn't been much besides gaining experience and sponsor exposure - besides the ongoing 'pineapple pizza gate' which he's been part of.

“For sure, I came here with one big goal and that was the pink jersey, and to win two other stages with the team was really nice. Of course, I was aiming for a second stage win, but I think I can be happy with my race," he said. Having completed his first Grand Tour, it will come also as a valuable experience for the future, and discovering what he's capable of doing. “There were some special moments, particularly on the Fedaia [where the Italian fans went crazy over him], I will remember that for a long time," van der Poel added. 

With the Giro out of the way, he sets his focus on the Tour de France. "I feel better than expected after three weeks of racing but now I think I will get some rest." And he's hinted that he won't be racing the Dutch national championships, but instead fully recover and have a stint at altitude in preparation for the Tour: “I will only be in Livigno and just do training before the Tour."

Asked if he'd consider racing for the overall classification in a Grand Tour, van der Poel quickly dismissed the idea: “No, it’s really something I’m not going to do. I prefer the Classics and one-day races." However, he leaves Italy with a very positive balance, stating that "this has just been an amazing experience and I can be really happy with this Giro."