🎥 Van der Poel nutmegs teammate Del Grosso with a water bottle during Roubaix recon

Mathieu van der Poel lines up for the sixth time at Paris-Roubaix, going for a record fourth consecutive victory. He has the support of a strong Alpecin-Premier Tech team, who are handing Tibor Del Grosso his cobbled debut. The Dutch duo reconned the course together, providing a light hearted moment for social media.

Van der Poel was the strongest in Paris-Roubaix for the first time in 2023. He more than repeated the trick a year later, when he completed a long solo attack in the rainbow jersey. Last year, he faced more resistance from a certain Tadej Pogačar, but when the Slovenian crashed, he promptly took his third consecutive victory in the Roubaix Velodrome.

Tibor Del Grosso cannot yet boast such results. The 22-year-old talent has already shown what his legs can do on the cobbles in Dwars door Vlaanderen (sixth in 2026) and the GP Denain (ninth this year), and his form is good too. He won the NXT Classic in Limburg, earning him a late call up to the Alpecin-Premier Tech Paris-Roubaix squad.

He may lack experience, but with his qualities — which he partly owes to his excellent cyclocross skills — Van der Poel has gained a very valuable helper for this Sunday. The pair headed out together to recon the cobbles, as can be seen in a video on Instagram. They ended up at the Trouée d'Arenberg, one of the race's most famous sectors.

Van der Poel rode across the cobbles at the front, Del Grosso followed. But anyone who has conquered the cobbles of the Trouée d'Arenberg knows that it is a rough ride. Most riders lose at least one water bottle thanks to the vibrations.

Van der Poel lost his bidon, and flicked it with his foot. It bounced its way towards his pursuer, who received the bottle through his legs. A classic nutmeg from the world champion! Perhaps it was a sign to Ronald Koeman, the Dutch national football coach, that he has eyes on a new career after cycling?