Thomas Dekker labels Alpecin-Deceuninck as "bunch of amateurs" regarding handling of Mathieu van der Poel
Cycling
Ex-pro Thomas Dekker has called Alpecin-Deceuninck a "bunch of amateurs" regarding their handling of star rider Mathieu van der Poel, describing the team as "uneducated people who only know very well how to support when things are going well. But the scientific guidance is lacking."
With van der Poel having seen a recurrence of a back injury in recent weeks, the Dutchman's chances of overall victory are now seemingly in doubt at the upcoming Cyclocross World Cup. According to Dekker Alpecin-Deceuninck have to be held accountable for a portion of the blame.
"They should have taken a closer look at the human being Van der Poel," he tells the renowned podcast Live Slow Ride Fast. "As far as I'm concerned he should just leave Alpecin-Deceuninck. He kind of does what he wants in that team and when it comes to drawing up his program they are just a bunch of amateurs." As he continues to not mince his words.
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This scathing assessment is not the first time Dekker has openly criticised van der Poel's team having previously tried to advise the Dutchman to move on. "He can now think: I still have a few years, time is precious. Only you eventually have to change structurally. He must have people around him who hold up a mirror to him."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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