What did Mathieu van der Poel say after the dust settled on his stage win + yellow jersey in the Tour de France?

The fate of a Tour de France stage winner is that you can’t immediately celebrate with family, friends, and teammates. First comes a flash interview. Then a podium ceremony, followed by even more interviews with rights holders from all over the world. And finally, by then more than an hour after crossing the finish line, there’s a press conference with the written media from all over the world.

By the time Van der Poel entered the truck set up for that final media duty, he had already had some time to let it all sink in. With a smile, he underwent this duty ceremony too, knowing he had just added another special achievement to his already extraordinary cycling career.

Mathieu, how was this day for you?
“It was a very nervous stage overall, with constant fighting for the most important positions. As a team, we had prepared for that, and we’re really good at it, so I have to emphasize that everyone on the team is part of this success.”

How important is that positioning game?
“You need good legs, but it starts with positioning. If you hit a climb with your best legs but you’re in 50th position, it’s almost impossible to get to the front. The crucial points are so important, and that’s something our team does really well.”

How did you experience that last kilometer?
“I mainly focused on not making any mistakes. I reacted to every attack I saw and knew I wanted to be first through that last corner. From that corner it was still 150 meters to the finish, and I was happy I could hold off Tadej Pogacar.”

You've worn the yellow jersey before. Can you tell what it feels like?
“It’s always special, of course. Jasper Philipsen already had it on Saturday, so this is just an amazing start to our Tour de France. We’re going to try to enjoy it for as long as we can.”

What is the team's secret and what role do Christoph and Philip Roodhooft play?
“We always race with a clear goal. That’s true in the classics, and also here in the Tour. Christoph and Philip have worked for years with a clear vision and they know exactly where they want to take the team. They know what we can do,,, but also what isn’t possible. And that’s part of the success.”

You’ve had some tougher moments in the Tour in the past. What makes the difference this year?
“We chose a different preparation this time, using the Critérium du Dauphiné as a preparation race. That turned out to be a good choice. Every year we learn something new about our preparation, and now we’ve taken a bit of the approach we use for the classics, altitude camp, stage race, and another altitude camp.

Also, the route of this Tour suits me really well, and that makes a big difference because there are so many opportunities.”

How is your love-hate relationship with the Tour now?
“It hasn’t changed much. I’ve had a harder time in the Tour over the past few years, and that’s exactly why we decided to change our approach. This stage also suited me early in the Tour, but it’s always difficult to win in this race.”

Have you thought about your grandfather, the late Raymond Poulidor?"
“The first time I took yellow in the Tour, I was more emotional. He had just passed away then. Now, I’m mainly proud of my second stage win in the Tour.”