Tom Dumoulin on Van der Poel following stage 12: "He's just not good enough to win a stage like that yet"

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."