💪Congratulations to @mathieuvdpoel, combative rider of the day! 💪Félicitations à @mathieuvdpoel, élu combatif du jour ! #TDF2023 | @century21fr
Tom Dumoulin on Van der Poel following stage 12: "He's just not good enough to win a stage like that yet"
CyclingFriday, 14 July 2023 at 11:00
Once the breakaway finally formed on stage 12 of the 2023 Tour de France, Mathieu van der Poel was right in the mix. When he attacked from the breakaway it looked for a moment if he was about to take a brilliant victory, although sadly for the Dutchman it was not to be.
"I think he chooses the right moment, he still had two climbs to do," the former Giro d'Italia winner Dumoulin, analyzed for Dutch station NOS. “He knows he's not the best uphill and he has to anticipate. I started to believe it when he drove off with Amador."
Ion Izagirre was the eventual stage winner with van der Poel fading after his attack was unsuccessful, coming home way down in 51st after sitting up. Despite the lack of success, Dumoulin understands van der Poel's tactics and the timing of his move. "Then he can't come along and he has to pay for his efforts," he explains. "But if he waited, he probably would have run off too. He can't blame himself, but he's just not good enough to win a stage like that yet."
'But a Mathieu in top form can create opportunities. I hope so, but at the moment he lacks that little bit extra," Dumoulin continues. "It will be difficult, but never say never. We must also remember that the World Championship is more important. He also has that goal in mind."
claps 0visitors 2842
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- The point is obvious: MVDP can beat Tadej on CX/Road and Tadej cannot. What is so hard to understand???averagecyclist22-12-2024
- Funny... one doper enabler backing the doper he enabled ! Who would have guessed.frieders322-12-2024
- Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’tMistermaumau22-12-2024
- So you're bored, got itvappaxbipmv22-12-2024
- Does everything need to have a point? If so, 99% of the internet should be wiped away. In relation to recent articles with quotes from other riders, my statement points to the ever more obvious reason why they are asked to comment on the effect of his return.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If anyone would be interested enough to launch an official survey as to who out of these three should shut up, I don’t know who’d win but I’m due Boonen would be way back in 3rd place.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- And your point is what exactly?vappaxbipmv22-12-2024
- MVDP dominates this sport even more than Pogaçar dominates road racing. Also he can beat Tadej on the road quite regularly, the opposite is unlikely.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If you listen to team radios you'll hear each DS telling their riders to ride faster, fight their way to the front, and all occupy the same 8 places.Sweep22-12-2024
- You're talking about a sport where equipment and clothing is measured in grams.Sweep22-12-2024