David van der Poel laughs: “I’ve long suspected Mathieu in my tour manager’s team” | Cycling

Matthew van der Pol in full round mode. “Me too,” says his older brother David, “but then as an attentive spectator. In the morning I practice, and catch up on the tour in the afternoon.”

“We race hard every day, as if it’s the last day,” says Van der Poel, who already cheers 4 times for the downpipe, 4 times for Jasper Phillipsen.

“The fact that we won 4 times is not a surprise to me. We immediately booked 3 wins in the first week.”

His brother Mathieu van der Poel is doing well as a forward. “Something I would also love to do in the team, albeit on a different level.”

“That’s why I understand Matthew is disregarding himself, especially for Jasper. With him, the chance of winning is high.”

David van der Pol is also an avid Sporza Wielermanager. “I like to immerse myself in it. Not only in the top riders, but in other riders as well,” he says.

“In the Giro, I finished 20th in the final standings,” the rider smiles.

“Maybe I was a little unlucky. From the start I chose the good classification guys, the riders who didn’t quit. Except for Remco Evenepoel, but he still scores well in the first week.”

Van der Poel loves to look for surprises in the game. “In the Tour things are a little less so than in the Giro. I enjoy it when a rider like Clement Berthet scores.”

“I knew he comes from the mountain bike world and has good climbing legs.”

Clément Berthet (AG2R-Citroën) finished 5th in the Puy du Dome on Sunday. On Tuesday, he scored points again by finishing 20th.

How did Mathieu van der Pol score? “Unfortunately he’s on my team,” David van der Pol smiled.

“I hesitated for a long time about my brother. He costs something and this round I saw at most 4 chances to finish him.”

Pogacar and Vingegaard lead David van der Poel’s virtual tour team. With Hindley.

“In addition, Skjelmose and Ciccone are also in the team. They have progressed well in Switzerland. Jasper Philipsen and Wout van Aert are the two sprinters in my Tour team.”

This past weekend, the tour honored Raymond Poulidor. Matthew van der Poel’s grandson was visibly affected.

“Very kind regards,” says David van der Pol. “It shows that he is not only valued as a rider, but also as a person.”

“At such moments, feelings prevail with me and my brother. When I saw the pictures, I also experienced hard times. This is not great sadness, but pride and joy.”

Matthew received a racing bike from his grandfather at the Tour, and David inherited a car from Raymond Bouldur.

“And it still rolls very well,” says Van der Poel. “He had a few years on the clock, but my grandfather was always proud and careful with his stuff.”

“I was able to drive it for another two years, which is very symbolic for me.”

David van der Poel (31) has been racing for the Continental Alpecin Deekonink team since this year.

“I still ride the program I love to ride,” he explains. “There are no WorldTour races, but I have hardly ridden those races in my career.”

He notes, “They don’t keep me as a brother. I don’t need preferential treatment. I don’t want to.”

“I still feel valued within the team,” continues David van der Poel. “This is good.”

“My contract ends this year, but you don’t have to worry in principle. I’m about furniture in the team.”

“We know what we have in common and we’ll definitely talk about the future. Maybe I’ll stay on board as a racer, maybe I’ll take on a different role.”

Messing with bikes? Van der Pol replied, “No, it’s not for me.” “I have other ambitions.”

as a team leader? “That would suit me better, but in the long run. I’m not immediately looking to get away from home that much.”

“I’m organized. I like to plan.”

“I know our trip and race schedules by heart. You don’t have to ask cyclists like Matthew. Sometimes he doesn’t know where to start, when to start or how long a race takes (laughs).”

David van der Poel likes to plan training rides. And good. garnering praise within the peloton.

“During long training sessions, I sometimes take a different route. It’s also easier with a gravel bike,” he says. “Suddenly you’re driving on roads you’ve been on 100 times, but never explored.”

Van der Poel writes his routes using the Ride with GPS app. “Personally, I find it easier. Thanks to Google Earth, you can view roads very well in the program.”

Gravelmap is another David van der Poel recommendation, just like the popular sports app Strava.

His advice: “Use those programs in tandem as you build beautiful roads.”

Shared ways with colleagues. Van der Poel: “Greg Van Avermaet once asked me about a mountain bike route.”

“Or team riders like Jonas Rikaart. Because they don’t know mountain bikes or gravel roads with him in the far West of Flanders,” laughs David van der Pol, who can be seen at next month’s Tour Namin.