From the team bus it was barely 100 metres: Mathieu van der Poel goes from the Flemish fields to the Spanish coast
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Follow us on Google“Good, but not super.” That was Mathieu van der Poel’s verdict after In Flanders Fields, a race he still helped shape despite not feeling at his sharpest. Not long after the finish, the Dutchman was already on a jet bound for Spain, where he will put the finishing touches on his preparation for the Tour of Flanders.
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This year, the team-bus parking area for the squads taking part in In Flanders Fields had been moved away from the main road through Wevelgem to a larger site near Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport. While the press, fans and several teams were still gathered there, the winner of the E3 Saxo Classic had already flown out to Spain.
“I’m going to train well there for another week, and then I hope to be completely ready for Flanders,” said Van der Poel, who could not suppress a smile afterward. “But against Tadej Pogačar it won’t be easy there.” The Dutchman was dropped by Pogačar in Milan-San Remo, so he knows exactly what kind of numbers will likely be needed in Flanders.
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Van der Poel did not have a super feeling in In Flanders Fields
Van der Poel therefore wrapped up his weekend with the E3 Saxo Classic and In Flanders Fields, a sequence that ended with a 100 percent score for Alpecin-Premier Tech. On Friday, it was Van der Poel himself who imposed his authority on Harelbeke in commanding fashion; on Sunday, he played a major role in setting up teammate Jasper Philipsen for victory in the sprint.
“That was a bit our plan, early in the race,” Van der Poel admitted honestly. “I had to make sure I was in the move so I could put pressure on the peloton.” In doing so, the Dutchman forced teams such as Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale onto the back foot, while also keeping close tabs on rival Wout van Aert.
“I didn’t have the freshest feeling myself, and I told the team that as well,” he said. “I was in constant contact with Jasper through the radio, and he was feeling good. So then I did my job to keep the pressure on, hoping they would still come back so he could finish it off.” That reading of the finale matches Philipsen’s own explanation afterward, when he said Van der Poel had told the team in advance that his legs were not at their very best.
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Van der Poel already knew beforehand he would not ride full gas all the way to the finish
Van der Poel therefore did not take full turns at the front throughout the finale. “I wasn’t at my best, so I couldn’t do the biggest share of the work. I didn’t feel certain of victory myself. That’s why I felt Jasper was the better card for us to play.” With that, he referred back to Gent-Wevelgem 2024, when he found himself in a similar situation and was beaten in a two-up sprint by Lidl-Trek’s Mads Pedersen.
“We had already talked about that beforehand, that we wouldn’t do it that way again,” Van der Poel explained, still feeling the effort of Friday’s E3 Saxo Classic in his legs. “That’s what I mean: I was good, but not super.” Super next week, then, after a few more days on the Spanish coast?
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
- One Lombardia doesn’t tell us how Seixas will handle a full Grand Tour. I’d rather see him develop steadily than have every result turned into a Pogačar comparison.samanthak12-11-2026
- Pogacar is 30 already? I thought he was younger. If he keeps winning like this, how long can he realistically ride at the top?jeremya12-11-2026
- Interesting that Thomas made the comparison while speaking to Rowe, given Decathlon’s hopes of keeping Seixas and the reports linking INEOS with him. Praise, or a subtle message to a potential signing?gearguru3312-11-2026
- Seixas winning Il Lombardia at this age is a huge statement. The Pogačar comparisons are inevitable, but Thomas is right to leave room for both of them to keep improving—Pog is still setting the bar.robert6512-11-2026
- A fascinating career, but the article leans heavily on his side of the story. Were the three disqualifications all for the same equipment rule, or were there different issues each time?michael5412-11-2026
- I’m still not sure how the handlebar rules work. If another rider can rest their wrists on the bars, why was Van Schip disqualified for his position?jennifer1912-11-2026
- The UCI really needs clearer, consistently enforced rules on bike setups and riding positions. If Van Schip was being told different things from race to race, no wonder he got fed up.patriciaw12-11-2026
- Two world track titles and three pro wins is a serious career, whatever the controversies. Shame he felt the sport stopped listening to him. Hope Rotterdam gives him the send-off he deserves.tourdeforce912-11-2026
- If he finished ninth at the Tour, why didn’t he get a stage win too? I’m still trying to understand how the overall standings work.julien11-11-2026
- No ‘cross at all this winter? That’s a shame, but with his road season starting in February, I can see why he’d want a proper break. Does stepping away mean he’s done with cyclocross for good?gearguru3311-11-2026