“What about Van der Poel?” - Laurens ten Dam reveals his ultimate Tour de France 2025 fantasy team
CyclingMonday, 30 June 2025 at 03:30
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.
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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.
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“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.”
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- That's too bad.Ride197424-07-2025
- It seems to me that there are so many "prophets" out there who claim "this is the end" for the race leader, especially if it's a multiple time TDF winner, that I'm wondering how it must have been when Armstrong was closing in on his 6th and 7th. I wasn't much into cycling during those years yet, so I don't know. Anyone remembers?Ride197424-07-2025
- Many of us may not like him and he's not always correct with predictions, but I think on average, his observations on what's really happening are more accurate than just about anyone else's. I know I'm making myself vulnerable here , but I think Lance reads races very well.Ride197424-07-2025
- That's a pretty harsh comment for your fellow riders! If he was better positioned for the sprint, he would be one of the riders that crashed... so then would he be one of those that prefer to crash rather than sprint? I think no one wishes to go down ever...Lobz7724-07-2025
- Ahhh! Bad luck, Carlos! Wishing you a speedy recovery! Another one of my top10 TdF 2025 prognostic abandons...Lobz7724-07-2025
- Trouble is, UAE is probably a one-way street, more interested in sucking up talent than selling it, must have used Bayern as a case study for how to right the competition ;-)Mistermaumau24-07-2025
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My Ultimate 2025 Tour de France Team
GC - Pogacar
GC #2 - Jorgenson
Climbers - Sivakov & Sheffield
Classic/Rouleurs - Van Aert & Van der Poel
Domestique - Narvaez & Powless