🎥 This is Home: 13 minutes of behind-the-scenes Mathieu van der Poel

Mathieu van der Poel, Alpecin-Premier Tech and Shimano published a 13-minute documentary about the Dutchman on Thursday. The Dutch superstar is known to be a private individual, but this documentary goes behind the scenes of his private and family life.

Shimano was the party that managed to secure permission to follow Van der Poel for a period in his daily life. In the production 'This is home', the Dutch cycling star shows what his days look like. 'An unusual glimpse into the daily rituals that shape him,' according to Shimano.

Van der Poel said he had to think about the offer for a moment, but decided to agree to it. 'We felt that this was the right moment to show a more complete picture of who I am. As an athlete, but also as a person.'

'Shimano approached it in a respectful way, which gave us the confidence to open up a bit more than usual. Shimano, Alpecin-Premier Tech and I also have a long history together, which made it feel right,' he concluded.

In the documentary we see Van der Poel not only on the bike and on the podium, but above all in his daily life. Girlfriend Roxanne plays a big role, as does his dog, Lola. In the Spanish sun and in Flemish Antwerp, the three lead a happy life.

In a press conference ahead of Paris-Roubaix, Van der Poel said about his life off the bike: 'Normally I play a bit of golf, but the races are so tough nowadays that on the Monday and Tuesday after a race I often don't play. It is difficult to still do anything.'

'You can do one or two good training sessions between races, but that's about it. If you look at how much energy you expend in the races these days, you really need two or three days to recover and be ready for the next one.'