Adri van der Poel: ‘The World Cup is more fun for Mathieu than the Olympics’

interview Mathieu van der Poel is currently enjoying a short break before resuming competition at the Tour de Reynaud. Father Adri is currently working at the Tour de France. Cycling He looks back on the Olympics, weighs his son’s chances at the Zurich World Cup and responds to critics who describe his son as unworthy of a world champion.

A fool According to his father, he liked the atmosphere in Paris, but the Alpes-Deceuninck leader also believes that the route was not tough enough. Last week, Van der Poel Jr. kept himself busy, doing some of the things he likes and riding a little. In the meantime, he has started preparing for the end of the season. The last major goal for the 29-year-old Dutchman is the World Cup, where he wants to try to defend his title. In Switzerland, a very tough track awaits, which favors climbers.

World Cup odds
Father Adri has the 1982 Zurich title to his name, which was a classic of the famous World Cup until 2006. Eric Mackenzie initially won this race, but was caught doping. Senior will explore the route himself in mid-September, when he passes through it. “I think there are chances for Matteo, let’s put it that way. If you come across a really good Tadej Pogačar, it will be difficult. But that also applies to the rest of the peloton. It’s a World Cup with much better participants than the Olympics.”

Adrie van der Poel on behalf of DAF Trucks in 1982 – Photo: Cor Vos

Remco Evenepoel is usually there too, but Adrie van der Poel wants to broaden the picture. “You have an all-Dutch team. That of course also applies to Belgium (and all the other countries, ed.). I think it’s more fun to race in the World Cup than in such a small race where you can’t really sneak through the grid. Of course you can do that in other competitions.” Adrie is referring to the fact that only a maximum of four riders per nation were allowed to ride during the Olympics. The Netherlands even had three in the race.

Critics
Mathieu van der Poel became world champion in cyclo-cross again at the beginning of the year. He then focused on the road season, winning the E3 Saxo Classic, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix as world champion in the road. In the Tour de France he finished no higher than eleventh in Troyes and remained in the Games. A fool 12th place. He has already completed 29 days of racing in 2024. There are voices from cycling fans that he is not doing enough. Terms like “not worthy of world champions” have been discussed.

Father Adri deplores the comment. “It’s very short-sighted. Most people who say things like that don’t really realise the cost of that spring preparation and the pressure that comes with finishing first in those competitions. I also think the Tour made it clear that the Tour de France wasn’t suitable for the type of rider like Mathieu. That also became clear at the end of the Tour, when ASO announced that the Tour would look a little different in the future. That’s only for the better, I think.”

As world champion, MVDP won the Paris-Roubaix race much loved by father Adrie – Photo: Cor Vos

“Yes, well, there are the games,” he continues. “Look, you just have to be great in a competition like this. And I think Matteo was good. He didn’t think it was heavy enough, but he could accept it. Then comes the autumn (Van der Poel will return to the Tour de Rennois at the end of this month, ed.). In terms of the number of days of competition he has done, he still has about 45 days left, which is the same as he has done in other years.

Father is proud of his son
Adri himself believes that the world champion cannot be blamed. “For me it remains good. I mean, if you win two Monuments and ride the other two cars in the top ten, with some other Classics right below them… well, you go back to the Tour. Yes, it could have been better. But what he did there was not bad for the team. I think these reasons are known individually. And now there is a lot to come. We don’t know how he will perform there. But I think Matteo can be more than satisfied with his year.”

Van der Poel attacked Remco Evenepoel at the Games – Photo: Cor Vos