Mathieu van der Poel explains Champs-Élysées selfie and thanks Tour de France teammates

It’s already been almost a week since Mathieu van der Poel claimed his resounding victory on the Champs-Élysées at the Tour de France. Several days after celebrating his triumph in front of the Arc de Triomphe, the Dutchman shared a special message of thanks for his teammates and offered a brief explanation for the selfie he took on the Champs-Élysées.

Van der Poel was spotted with his phone in his hand during the podium ceremony in Paris, shortly after producing a magnificent ride to win the final stage. A photograph to remember on the Champs-Élysées is, of course, a fitting addition to his already remarkable collection of victories.

South Korean brand Samsung also appeared to benefit from the moment—or may even have helped arrange it—judging by Van der Poel’s Instagram post on the Friday after Paris. “A special moment captured with the new Samsung Galaxy Fold 8,” Van der Poel wrote.

The Dutchman also included a message for the Alpecin-Premier Tech teammates who supported him throughout the Tour de France. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the best team(mates). Thank you for keeping everyone’s spirits up, even when things didn’t quite go the way we wanted 🫶🏻,” said the team leader, whose teammate Jasper Philipsen finished second to complete a memorable one-two result.