Mathieu van der Poel resides his very best biking existence.
He’s a favorite for Milan-San Remo however isn’t underneath intense force to win like Tadej Pogačar. He has already received six Monument Classics and can undoubtedly win much more this spring and within the years yet to come.
Existence is just right and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider turns out to have labored out how one can stability the depth of professional racing with existence’s little pleasures. Biking and successful the most important Classics have by no means been compelled on him or pressured him, they don’t seem to be a private obsession, they’re naturally a part of his existence.
“My life is not perfect, for sure I have bad days as well. But I think I’m at an age now that I’ve accomplished almost every goal I’ve set for myself and even more,” Van der Poel explains.
“That brings me a lot of peace. Everything that comes now, it’s a bonus. That makes it very relaxing to race.”
“I still want to try and win the biggest races out there, another Monument, so I’m still very motivated. I’m well aware that I need to be at 110% to beat Pogačar. That’s always good motivation.”
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After all, Van der Poel nonetheless will get eager about Milan-San Remo. He received it with a textual content ebook solo assault at the Poggio in 2023. He desires to win it once more, particularly after sacrificing his possibilities for Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate and sprinter Jasper Philipsen final 12 months.
Van der Poel grew up observing Milan-San Remo together with his father and previous professional Adri and his mom Corinne, the daughter of mythical French rider Raymond Poulidor.
Mathieu has the bad-ass, onerous as nails personality of his father, the gentleness of his grandfather and mom and the biking DNA of all 3. He does not race for cash or reputation, it is only what he does.
“Milan-San Remo is one of the races I loved to watch as a kid, because you never know what’s going to happen,” Van der Poel says, taking pictures the magic of the Italian race, admitting he even prefers the Italian race over a Paris-Roubaix victory within the iconic velodrome.
“Winning Paris-Roubaix is super special but I think winning on the Via Roma is more emotional. At Milan-San Remo you don’t know it until you get to the last stretch, the final metres, so that makes it a bit more special.”
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) takes victory on the 2023 Milan-San Remo (Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)A large-name conflict for Classics connoisseurs
Van der Poel and Pogačar will conflict for the primary time this season at Milan-San Remo.
They’ll then face off on the E3 Saxo Financial institution Vintage subsequent Friday, the Excursion of Flanders on Sunday April 6 and maybe even at Paris-Roubaix on Sunday April 13. It’ll be a antique spring Classics marketing campaign and heady few weeks for biking connoisseurs.
Pogačar ruled the UAE Excursion after which at Strade Bianche in spite of his crash. The UAE Staff Emirates rider has recovered clear of the March races and looks as sturdy as ever. He’s the present international champion, taking on from Van der Poel who beat him in Glasgow in 2023.
Van der Poel received a cyclocross international identify in early February after which received Le Samyn on his street race debut. He went just about successful a degree at Tirreno-Adriatico, rising with the ‘additional share’ of type wanted for his spring Classics and race velocity in his legs.
True to personality, Van der Poel isn’t considering fueling a competition with Pogačar, they have got even skilled in combination. There is not any trash speaking and no sense of concern, best admire and a want to win the massive races. Van der Poel is aware of that Pogcar can harm him at the longer climbs in some Classics and so will have to depend on his race craft, motorbike dealing with abilities and most likely his sooner end.
“I have a good relationship with him and to be honest, I don’t think too much about a rivalry. I just try for myself to be in the best possible shape at the races,” Van der Poel says.
“If he’s stronger, like he was at the Tour of Flanders two years ago, then it’s something you have to deal with. It’s not something I can change because I know I did everything I could to be in the best possible shape at that race. If a rider is stronger, that’s how it is.”
Van der Poel concedes that he’ll have to take a look at to head with Pogačar if the Slovenian assaults at the Cipressa and particularly at the Poggio. Another way Milan-San Remo will straight away get away his seize.
He additionally has to take into accounts long-time rival Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who he beat to win the Junior international street race identify in Florence in 2013. On-form Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) could also be a danger because of his energy assaults and completing velocity, as are such a lot of different workforce leaders and outsiders.
“Ganna is Ganna. In the last two or three years he was already one of the strongest riders on the Poggio, he looks in super good shape. So he will be there too, it’s not just about me and Pogačar,” Van der Poel warns.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) at Milan-San Remo 2024 (Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)Chasing after Pogačar at the Cipressa
Van der Poel noticed how Pogačar and his workforce attempted to harm their competitors at the Cipressa climb in 2024 however failed of their intentions. Pogačar then made two assaults at the Poggio however Van der Poel and others chased him down every time.
The danger of rain on Saturday has receded and there may be prone to be a slight tailwind at the Cipressa, that means Pogačar and UAE Staff Emirates might be tempted to take a look at to damage the document of 9:19 for the Cipressa from 1996 or even pass underneath 9 mins to spark an enormous variety.
Van der Poel doubts that plan would paintings.
“Nothing is impossible. If it’s headwind on the Cipressa, I don’t think it’s possible, but when it’s full tail wind maybe it is. But for sure you’d need to sacrifice the whole team,” he says with caution.
“It also depends on how teams organise behind any attack. If there’s a team that doesn’t panic, keeps together and pulls as hard as possible from the Cipressa to the Poggio, it’s going to be really difficult to stay away.”
Van der Poel can have to head with Pogačar if he assaults at the Cipressa however he’s extra pragmatic, extra of an all out, complete fuel, Poggio assault rider.
“That’s also why there’s so many riders that can win Milan-San Remo, sometimes you can hide all day and still win,” he suggests.
“Sometimes it’s maybe even better if you don’t have the legs to do anything on the Poggio, but you just try and follow a few riders. You don’t have to pass the Poggio first to win the race, that’s obvious.”
If Van der Poel wins Milan-San Remo for a 2nd time, do not be expecting to look him partying overdue into the evening in Monte Carlo. If he manages to catch a overdue flight house to Belgium, he’s prone to be at the golfing path on Sunday morning, playing the peace and quiet of the vegetables, most likely smiling to himself after he once more proved that Pogačar is beatable and that he is without doubt one of the very best Classics riders within the game.
“Golf is really relaxing and you’re in nature,” Van der Poel explains.
“It’s the opposite of what happens in a race, it’s an alternative to the pressure and tension of racing. It’s just what I need after a big race, it’s my little personal reward, whether I win or lose.”
