“What about Van der Poel?” - Laurens ten Dam reveals his ultimate Tour de France 2025 fantasy team
Cycling
As Tour fever sweeps the Netherlands ahead of the Grand
Départ on 5 July, Laurens ten Dam has weighed in with his ultimate fantasy team
for the 2025 Tour de France, blending informed picks with personal favourites.
Now 44 and long retired from WorldTour racing, the former
climber remains a popular voice in Dutch cycling. He last rode the Tour in 2018
and memorably finished ninth overall in 2014. Like many fans, Ten Dam is once
again picking a fantasy team, though he jokes his career peaked early. “I won
one once when I was fifteen and then I stopped. Stopping at your peak, haha,”
he said.
Read also
Among his top picks for this year’s fantasy selection is
Florian Lipowitz. Ten Dam also backs UAE Team Emirates’ João Almeida to finish
on the podium despite his expected role as Tadej Pogacar’s super-domestique.
Sign
Up Now to Build Your Fantasy Tour de
France Team & Win a Share of €10,000+
“In terms of sprinters I would take Groenewegen, he will
collect some points,” Ten Dam said. He also sees potential in Biniam Girmay,
despite an inconsistent spring. “Is Bini Girmay still a dark horse? He didn't
have a great spring, but that was also the case last year before the Tour, and
then he took the green. I also always have a preference for riders from
Intermarché-Wanty.”
His affection for the underdogs is clear. “I'm still a bit
in doubt, because do I go all out for the win or do I also fill it with an
Intermarché heart?”
Ten Dam identifies two lesser-known riders who could be
decisive: Louis Barré and Georg Zimmerman. “We do have two good one-pointers I
think,” he said, referring to the low-cost points system typical in fantasy
pools.
He also flags a wildcard from new Dutch outfit Picnic PostNL.
“Tobias Lund Andresen is a sprinter from Picnic PostNL who is only four points.
He can also handle sprints after a hilly stage.”
And of course, there's Mathieu van der Poel, who is looking
to add to his sole career Tour stage win. “What about Van der Poel. He may have
to sacrifice himself for Philipsen in real mass sprints. But if he is in the
green after a few rides, it may be a different story.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments