"When I attack, everyone reacts immediately" - Mathieu van der Poel frustrated with another Dauphiné near miss

Mathieu van der Poel arrived at the 2025 Criterium du Dauphiné with a clear goal: to fine-tune his form ahead of the Tour de France and claim a stage victory. While the Dutch superstar has consistently been in the mix — fighting with the best and finishing each of the first three stages inside the top five — he has yet to raise his arms in celebration.

But van der Poel isn’t bothered by his steady performances; what he really wants is that elusive stage win. Still, he’s satisfied with his current form, especially considering the tough crash he suffered recently at the Mountain Bike World Cup in Nove Mesto. "Yes, it’s reassuring, but I’d rather have one win and not be top 50 in the others," he said. "That said, I’m happy with how I’m riding. It’s been really tough, so I’m content."

The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider also spoke about the sweltering heat the peloton is enduring during this Dauphiné. "I was in Spain recently and it was hot there too," he explained post-stage. "But when you’re pushing as hard as we did today all day long, your legs really start to hurt."

The heat hasn't hurt the consistency of the Dutchman so far though. Van der Poel has been the most consistent rider so far in this edition of the race, regularly featuring at the front and setting the pace.

Finally, he acknowledged the constant attention he faces when joining breakaways but understands why. He also expressed satisfaction with how the day unfolded. "It’s always like that. When I attack, everyone reacts immediately. It’s normal, and you need extraordinary legs to win a stage solo. I’d already given a lot to stay up front in this group, but it was good. I enjoyed today’s stage and had fun out there," concluded the Green Jersey.