đ¸ What does Mathieu van der Poel eat after just finishing second in the Tour of Flanders? Proper recovery food!
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What does someone eat after finishing second in a brutally hard 278-kilometre Tour of Flanders? On Sunday evening, that question was answered on social media by Freddy Ovett, a close riding companion of Mathieu van der Poel.
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Van der Poel went all the way to the limit in cyclingâs Flemish monument, but in the end he had to admit that Tadej PogaÄar was simply the better rider and therefore the deserved winner.
âWhen I looked down, I was doing 650 watts,â Van der Poel said afterwards about the moment PogaÄar rode him off his wheel on the Oude Kwaremont.
âI felt like I got a little closer again after that, but then he accelerated once more. And that was it. The problem is that thereâs a phenomenon riding around out there, and I ran into him. That mix of enjoyment and suffering? It was mostly suffering, haha. Head down and just keep pedalling.â
The enjoyment came later on Sunday evening at dinner time, as could be seen via Ovettâs Instagram stories. In those images, Van der Poel is seen enjoying Flemish fries and the usual snacks on the side. Well-earned fuel after a huge ride.
Photo: this is what Mathieu van der Poel eats after Ronde van Vlaanderen
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Un poco corto en la parte tĂŠcnica de la bici de McNulty, no? Colnago nero con detalles arcoĂris suena brutal â queremos mĂĄs fotos, per favore.pedalpowe2902-10-2026
- - Demi finally gets her stripes! Team Oranje tactics on point again â recon, lead-out, and that patient regroup. Textbook. Chapeau.sprocketspiny02-10-2026
- - Wait, does the world champ jersey apply to all disciplines or just road race? Can McNulty wear it in a TT too, or is that only if he won the TT worlds?davidm02-10-2026
- - Brilliant coverage. The early flight back to beat jet lag is elite-level thinking. Those marginal gains matter before a punchy Euros course.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Not sure the âsurprised everyoneâ line about McNulty is fair. Heâs been knocking on the door all season in one-day races and TTs. Emilia in rainbows is going to slap.patriciaw02-10-2026
- - Love seeing the rainbow bands back on Slovenian roads. Demi looks sharp in that kit. Hope she gets a full custom bike soon, not just a tiny stripe under the seatpost. Come on, give the champ a proper paint job!cadencekingm02-10-2026
- - Quick one: why canât McNulty wear the rainbow at Euros? Is it only for world champs from Europe or something about national teams vs trade teams?lindae02-10-2026
- - That Dutch masterclass was something else. Vollering timed that second move perfectly after the first dig didnât stick. Proper teamwork â Wiebes and the crew deserve as much credit as Demi.julien02-10-2026
- - Boonenâs line about trusting teammates is gold. Worldâs is chess, not crit. Belgium tried to cover every scenario and covered none. Harsh lesson, but needed before next year.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Great read, but the piece leans a bit too harsh on Wout for me. He wasnât at leader-level form, true, yet the team didnât set up a plan B well enough. Segaert the bright spot, agreed.julien02-10-2026
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