Van der Poel ready to move

After being beaten by Wout Van Aert at the E3 Saxo Classic in a battle also involving Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel assured that he could come up with a movement race on the Tour of Flanders to avoid a such a scenario repeats itself.

After 2020 and 2022, Mathieu van der Poel intends to try his luck for the pass of three on the Tour of Flanders. A race that the grandson of Raymond Poulidor approached in a different way compared to previous years, he who knows the event well for having done it several times. Indeed, after finishing second in the E3 Saxo Classic between his great rivals Wout Van Aert and Tadej Pogacar, the leader of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team went green. ” I preferred to fly to the Spanish coast to finish my preparation because I noticed in the past that in Paris-Roubaix, I was generally a little worse than on the Tour of Flanders, confided during a press conference Mathieu van der Poel. I wanted to avoid that this year. »

After his victory over Milan-San Remo earlier this season, the native of Kapellen intends to seek another Monument but, for that, he will have to deal with the strike force of the Jumbo-Visma team, which monopolizes the successes these last weeks. Assuring that the Dutch formation “was really strong”, Mathieu van der Poel assures that the riders in the yellow and black jersey “will have to be watched closely”.

😍 The next monument! One of the most thrilling races, extra special for a Belgian team! And we go back with a lot of good memories from the past 4 years!
➡️ Fans, here is our team for @RondeVlaanderen 🦁
What’s your last message for these 7? Let us know in the comments! 💭 pic.twitter.com/WGCw0Punqi
— Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team (@AlpecinDCK) March 31, 2023

Van der Poel: “Take the initiative when necessary”

In addition to Wout Van Aert on the E3 Saxo Classic, Christophe Laporte won Gand-Wevelgem then A Travers la Flandre, making him another candidate for victory in the event of failure of his leader. But, despite this potential domination of the Jumbo-Visma, the Dutchman claims to have a card to play. ” It does not change the fact that I think we should also take the initiative when necessary, adds Mathieu van der Poel. I’m definitely not going to get bogged down in a three-way battle. »

Nevertheless, emphasizing the fact that “the Tour of Flanders remains unpredictable”, the leader of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team also intends to be wary of “good riders who anticipate”, in addition to a Tadej Pogacar-Wout duo Van Aert that he sees “both dangerous in their own way”. ” Tadej Pogacar will surely make the effort on the cobbled hills, while Wout Van Aert will be difficult to beat in the sprint, summarized Mathieu van der Poel. In any case, I hope for a scenario in which I will compete for a third victory. “While the Slovenian only envisages a victory in Oudenaarde in the event of a solo finish, the Dutchman could wish for another race appearance.