Analytical Adrie van der Poel hits the nail on the head after son Mathieu's 'team win' at the Tour de France
CyclingWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 19:42
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Follow us on GoogleAnd that makes it two for Alpecin-Premier Tech. Adrie van der Poel saw that his son Mathieu, after winning Stage 9 himself, was now setting up teammate Jasper Philipsen. However, Van der Poel Sr. emphasizes that it goes far beyond just Mathieu’s excellent lead-out. “This was truly a team effort,” he told IDL Pro Cycling in Voiron.
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No sooner had the riders set off from Chambery than they were, as the saying goes, at the finish line in Voiron. “It was truly a bizarre stage. It was nonstop: attacks, everyone chasing each other, riders getting dropped and then coming back, and different groups forming. It really didn’t let up for a single moment,” Adrie analyzed from the Belgian team’s bus.
"The course was incredibly tough right from the start. The pace was already so intense on those first climbs. After that, they had to tackle a few more unexpected sections. It wasn’t until later that the course got a little easier, but by then the riders and the teams had already suffered so much," said Adrie. “The first group that remained consisted of only about 35 riders! From my own experience in the Tours I’ve ridden, I can hardly remember such stages existing back then.”
He attributed this to the fact that the stage to Voiron was the last chance for many riders to succeed. “There are still a lot of teams that haven’t won anything in this Tour. Of course, they’ll keep trying, no matter what happens. Because of that, there’s never any calm in the peloton. But if you look purely at our own team, it’s great that luck is on our side once again.”
Read more below the photo!
Mathieu van der Poel crossed the finish line in Voiron, cheering.
Adrie van der Poel: a 'Matter of Faith and Trust' at Alpecin-Premier Tech
Alpecin-Premier Tech had also been building up to Stage 17 for days, but—just like on Day 9—they hit the mark in a transitional stage. “That also has to do with keeping the faith and trusting each other. It’s the strength of this team—though everyone knows that by now—that when there’s a chance for a stage win, we go all out as a team. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, like at the start of the Tour when we just fell short. But it’s a matter of sticking to the plan and keeping at it.”
This time, the plan was to go all out for Philipsen in the final. “At the end, you go for clarity. If Philipsen indicated that his legs weren’t up to it anymore, you could say, ‘Mathieu, you give it a try.’” But they were in an excellent position. This was a finish that simply suits Jasper better, because you have to start from the front, whereas Mathieu has often come from behind in the past. It’s nice that the choice can be made so clearly.”
"This really shows the chemistry between Mathieu and Jasper. Keeping up the pressure and staying confident is paying off. Other teams might have started making different plans," he says regarding Philipsen's lack of a stage win so far. “You should always judge your riders based on the qualities they do have, not on what they can’t do. Never let panic guide your decisions; it’s a very bad advisor,” Adrie hits the nail on the head.
Read more below the video!
Adrie van der Poel: 'I don't think Mathieu is upset about how the race went'
According to Adrie, Van der Poel is sitting at the dinner table with a smile that’s perhaps even bigger than if he’d won himself. “I don’t think Mathieu minds how the race went today. Of course, it makes it even sweeter when your teammate wins,” says Van der Poel’s father, who once again points out that there were other key riders at Alpecin-Premier Tech besides his son.
"It's all about the team: just look at who was there today—Plankaert who came along, Silvan Dillier and Emiel Verstrynge who did their part... I just heard on the bus that it was also thanks to Jonas (Rickaert, ed.) that everyone stayed calm on the final climb, so they didn’t burn themselves out. This was just an amazing team effort.”
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
- Hey GearGuru! I am always trying to learn the team strategies....can you explain further what you mean by your analysis?? I appreciate your time.
MrYuck22-07-2026 - - Eighth place after that effort is rough, but calling it a “shit day” ignores the 25 he bagged mid-stage. Margins are tight; tomorrow’s crosswinds could flip it again. Vamos Mads! Allez Jasper! Qué etapa tan loca, mate.lindae22-07-2026
- - Not sure the article gives Lidl-Trek enough credit for controlling the early chaos. That opening barrage of climbs was brutal; keeping Pedersen in position and still making the split was top riding. One bad sprint doesn’t erase that.julien22-07-2026
- - Feel for Mads, but tactically they boxed themselves in. Chasing the break, then animating another move, then leading out the IS… you can’t do all three and still have pop vs. Philipsen’s train. Decathlon CMA CGM baited half the peloton there.gearguru3322-07-2026
- - Can someone explain why the intermediate sprint is worth it if it leaves you empty for the finish? Wouldn’t it be better to save legs and contest the big one?davidm22-07-2026
- - Wild stage. Lidl-Trek burned so many matches for that intermediate, then Alpecin-Premier Tech just rode them down with a fresh lead-out. Classic Philipsen patience. Seven points is nothing with two more sprint-ish days coming.andrewf22-07-2026
- - Esto me deja confuso, pero interesado. If the law in France allows it, does the UCI code override? Qui a la priorité ici? Seems messy but maybe necesario for credibility.michael5422-07-2026
- - Riis calling it “grotesque” is rich given ’96, but he’s not wrong about communication being awful. UCI/WADA/AFLD need a joint press briefing with timelines, legal citations, and the reason night hours were breached.julien22-07-2026
- - Can someone explain what qualifies as “special circumstances” for night testing? Is it tied to biological passport anomalies or just performance spikes on a stage?cyclechamp4522-07-2026
- - Mixed feelings. Yes, history demands rigor, but dragging riders out of bed mid-Grand Tour seems counterproductive to athlete welfare and performance integrity. Publish the legal basis from the Paris court or don’t do it.jennifer1922-07-2026
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