Mathieu van der Poel and new World Champion Demi Vollering compared course notes at the team hotel: 'I'll ride on instinct'
CyclingSunday, 27 September 2026 at 17:06
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Follow us on GoogleOn Saturday evening, the party was already in full swing at the Hotel van Nederland—or at least for a little while. The women—led by winner Demi Vollering—stopped back briefly for a burger, but then had to head straight back to the airport for their flight back to the Netherlands. Still, Saturday’s results are encouraging for the male competitors as well. Mathieu van der Poel spoke at the start in Brossard.
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Van der Poel had already had a chat with Vollering during Wednesday’s reconnaissance. Together, they agreed that it was a perfect course. “He said, ‘I think it could be tough, but just right for me—in the sense that it’s not too tough.’” "And I definitely think he’s right," Vollering had already said.
"It's a little different for the women, though, because the pace slows down a bit and the climbs take longer as a result."
"That's always the best part, because in the end, the strongest riders always come out on top. For riders like Mathieu or me, who also do well in the spring classics, that's usually the best-case scenario," Vollering told us.
Read more below the photo!
Mathieu van der Poel and Demi Vollering during the reconnaissance run.
Van der Poel on Vollering's World Championship victory
The FDJ-Suez rider proved on Saturday that they were right. Van der Poel was watching on TV, too. It’s great to see them win, of course, but it’s still a different kind of race. She’s also won the Tour, so that says something. It was a very strong performance, especially since she managed to bounce back after being caught.
"Mentally, that's something you can't underestimate—finding the morale to give it your all again," explains Van der Poel, who says he didn't pay much attention to the women's race.
"Above all, it's just going to be a very tough World Championship for every type of rider, and it's just going to be really difficult. But I've been saying that for a long time," says VDP.
"I'm just hoping for an amazing day, because a good day alone won't be enough," he realises. "And then I'll ride on instinct, like I always do. I have to try to pick the right moment to make my move and then hope that I'm in the right place for the decisive attack."
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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
- - Small detail the article missed: what about rain or sweat on the label? If the ink smears, that’s game over. Use pre-printed stickers or laminated wraps.samanthak27-09-2026
- - Great piece. Signs + bottles = redundancy. If they also use hand signals at the pit, Belgium might have the best comms of the day.cadencekingm27-09-2026
- - Pauwels joking about fake messages made me laugh. Imagine handing Remco a bottle that says “Attack now” on an odd lap and he actually goes. Qué locura, pero muy divertido, non?sprocketspiny27-09-2026
- - Feels like we’re overcomplicating. Radios make racing safer and clearer. The “boring race” argument is dated—modern Worlds are explosive anyway.gearguru3327-09-2026
- - So is the course a closed loop where they get a feed each lap? I don’t get how often riders can grab bottles at Worlds.bikebuffj27-09-2026
- - Wout saying he’s never raced this way before surprises me. Old school meets modern pro peloton. Could be the edge in a chaotic Montréal circuit.andrewf27-09-2026
- - Love the ingenuity. Remco’s right though—miss one bottle and you’ve missed a split-second call. Maybe pair the bottle with a staffer shouting codewords? “Plan B” “Green light” etc.robert6527-09-2026
- - How do they stop other teams reading the notes? If the message is on the bottle, wouldn’t everyone just see it when they pass the feed?velodromevirtuoso127-09-2026
- - Not sure this is safe tbh. That U23 bottle rolling near the cameraman proves the point. One stray bidon in a corner and you’ve got a pile-up. UCI should rethink the no-earpiece rule for Worlds.patriciaw27-09-2026
- - Clever from Belgium. Using bidons as mini whiteboards is simple and effective, especially on a circuit. If they rotate messages lap by lap, Wout and Remco can adapt quicker than teams relying only on roadside boards.lindae27-09-2026
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