E3 after-effects shaped Van der Poel’s “defensive” ride: “I felt I wasn’t super”

It was rival Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) who accelerated on the second ascent of the Kemmelberg, after which Van der Poel himself made sure the two old rivals moved clear together at the front. It was a major effort, but the Dutchman said he was not at his very best. “I felt I wasn’t super,” he told Sporza. “I was good, but I lacked freshness.”

It then turned into a two-man time trial towards Wevelgem, and the leading duo were narrowly beaten by the peloton. They were caught in the final kilometre, but Van der Poel was not riding all-out either. “I also got instructions from the team car. Up front, I had to hold the pace back a little so they would keep riding behind as well. But I lacked the freshness to really go full gas.”

Those instructions paid off, because teammate Jasper Philipsen then sprinted convincingly to victory. Van der Poel therefore did not have to empty the tank completely. “By my standards I raced quite defensively and mostly just followed, but that was also what I had said beforehand.” So how did he explain his own acceleration on the Kemmelberg? “The wind was very favourable there,” he said with a grin.

‘With that sprint, we were able to keep putting pressure on the peloton,’ he explains further. ‘That was the best option for Jasper. It’s impressive that he pulled it off. We hadn’t won this race with our team yet. I’m happy about that.’ Van der Poel ultimately crossed the finish line in 35th place: Van Aert just made it into the top thirty.

For a long time, fans saw a scene reminiscent of the 2020 Tour of Flanders, where the pair sprinted for the win. It didn’t quite come to that in the end. Still, both riders will be satisfied with their performances in In Flanders Fields. With an eye toward next Sunday, when Flanders’ Finest is on the schedule, of course. “I am satisfied, also with how we raced as a team,” Van der Poel concludes.