Mathieu van der Poel puts green jersey ambitions on ice at Tour de France start

It wasn't a long journey to the start of the Tour de France for Van der Poel either. He spent the last week in Belgium after spending most of his preparation in Spain. He interrupted that period for the Critérium du Dauphiné, where he narrowly missed out on the green jersey.

Whether he will try to do the same in France was, of course, one of the key questions on Thursday afternoon. “The green jersey is not a goal at the moment because then I would also have to do the peloton sprints, and we have a goal with Jasper in that regard. You never know how it will unfold, but it's not like I'm starting with a clear aim to aim for green.”

Van der Poel is currently focusing mainly on the first stages of the Tour. "There are opportunities, but there are many different riders with the necessary goals at the start. I expect it to be hectic. All in all, it's a great first week, with many opportunities for our team. There isn't a specific stage that I've marked. We'll take it day by day, but I see plenty of opportunities for success in this first week of the Tour."

"In stage 1, we're going for Jasper, who has already proven himself in recent years. In the punchy stages, we can play two cards. There are also plenty of GC contenders who will want to be involved, so I expect it to be nervous," said the Dutchman, who will support Philipsen in the first stage. ”I still want to help Jasper, even though we also have Kaden Groves. In the Tour, you need every man you can get."

On the last day, there may still be a chance for the Dutchman. “I think the final stage will be very stressful. At the Olympics, there was a large peloton, which is no longer the case. It's not bad for us, but I also understand if other riders don't like it,” he says.

Despite starting in northern France, Van der Poel is not starting the race with any extra stress, he explains. “The course doesn't change that much, and the behavior of the riders often causes crashes. That's something that will never change in this sport, but enlarging the peloton is a mistake. With fewer teams and fewer riders, you can make more of a difference.”

Teammate Philipsen is also looking forward to the start, knowing that there is a chance for the first yellow jersey. However, the competition is fierce, with Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan among the contenders. “Tim and Jonathan are very strong and fast. They definitely have a chance in the first stage and the other stages, but I can't say exactly who is the fastest.”

“I feel good,” says Philipsen. “I've had the same preparation as in previous years, and I even feel better than last year. We have to because our chances are mainly in the first week. There aren't many opportunities for sprinters to take the yellow jersey, so I see Saturday as a big day. But the Tour lasts three weeks, and there are still chances.”

Including the final stage. “The final stage is something new. We saw at the Olympics that anything can happen, but it's still a transition in terms of how it feels. It's something for the GC contenders to keep an eye on, but for us, it doesn't change much."