Mathieu van der Poel reveals the gender of his unborn baby the day after his Tour de France stage victory
CyclingTuesday, 14 July 2026 at 10:31
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleMathieu van der Poel had a great day on Sunday at the Tour de France, where he won the ninth stage after spending the entire day on the attack. The very next day, the Dutch rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech revisited the topic on social media, where he promptly announced the gender of his soon-to-be-born baby.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the week leading up to the Tour de France, Van der Poel and his partner, Roxanne Bertels, announced that they are expecting their first child. “Bébé VDP,” as the couple affectionately called the baby, is due in January 2027.
Before the start of the Tour de France , we asked Van der Poel in Barcelona if the soon-to-be father was on cloud nine. “Yes, we’re obviously very happy, and hopefully it will help me. But I think I’ll really be on cloud nine after the baby is born.”
After a slow start to the Tour, Van der Poel made up for it in one fell swoop on Sunday with a stage victory. “It’s always special to win a stage in the Tour, but especially with my two girls at the finish,” Van der Poel wrote on social media during the first rest day. After the stage, he immediately embraced his partner Roxanne. In January, they’ll be welcoming another girl to their family.
Read also
Read more below the photo!
Van der Poel after stage victory in the Tour de France
Van der Poel's father Adrie credits battles with Pogačar
Adrie van der Poel celebrated his son Mathieu’s Tour de France stage win, saying the improvement over recent days and a well-timed breakaway made the victory possible. He noted the chasing pressure from behind forced the break to keep working, allowing Mathieu to “play poker” in the sprint, and called the team’s Tour a success with the pressure now off.
Adrie emphasized Mathieu’s strong spring, his battles with Tadej Pogačar, and his motivation to improve. He said opportunities at this Tour are scarce, praised Mathieu’s condition and adaptation to the heat, and argued he can handle moderate climbs and excels when a genuine winning chance appears.
Read more
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
IDL-productions
2026 Tour de France stage 10 preview | Can Vingegaard repeat his Le Lioran victory over Pogacar?
IDL Pro Cycling Tour de France fantasy league results after week 1. Substitutions now available
Adrie van der Poel delivers the perfect reaction after Mathieu’s Tour de France stage win
Could Tom Pidcock have beaten Mathieu van der Poel with a fully functioning bike at the Tour de France?
Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek explain why Tour de France Stage 9 plan only partly worked
Latest Cycling News
2026 Tour de France stage 10 preview | Can Vingegaard repeat his Le Lioran victory over Pogacar?
2026 Tour de France Standings | These are the standings heading into the next mountain stage
More rest-day drama: Trentin withdraws from the Tour de France and Alpecin-Premier Tech face problems
Matteo Jorgenson is frustrated after his first week as Vingegaard support rider: 'It’s a challenge to deal with'
2026 Tour de France Stage 10 LIVE | Will the French rooster crow "victory" on July 14?
Popular Cycling News
2026 Tour de France fines & penalties | Adam Yates gets a slap on the wrist before the rest day
2026 Tour de France Standings | These are the standings heading into the next mountain stage
Matteo Jorgenson is frustrated after his first week as Vingegaard support rider: 'It’s a challenge to deal with'
Tour de France Route 2026 | This is what's scheduled for the Tour de France after the rest day
2026 Tour de France stage 10 preview | Can Vingegaard repeat his Le Lioran victory over Pogacar?
Latest Comments
- Movistar should be concerned with returing to a meaningful status, instead of criticizing their betters. Not to mention the fact, that for a critical stretch of the stage, it was NetZero, not UAE pushing the pace. BTW, I haven't heard any criticism coming from MVP.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- We're witnessing an existential crisis, and waht it means to be human in the midst of a soul-crushing rush to achieve the maximum physiological performance and race results for the benefit of sponsors and the men who ride in the cars and who live their lives in air-conditioned splendor. It's sad, but inevitable, a by-product of the continual arms race to produce the best machines and the best specimens to ride those machines, whatever the cost to the riders' wider life (or life span). We have witnessed similar developments in many sports and other types of businesses, as well as in the actual arms race, involving weapons of mass destruction, and now A.I., which some of its leaders admit may bring an end to human life. But if it does, they want to get there First, before their tech competitors or a foreign government. And the band played on. PS Actually, I do seen one small glimmer of hope: an effective labor uprising by riders that would set limits on training scheules, and that would provide on-site accommodations for the families (or relationships) of riders, so that they could live their full lives while training, as do most other athletes and people, in general.rjb13-07-2026
- No teammates on the Tourmalet. Too fast up the Tourmalet.
merganzer10-07-2026 - Reef is whistling past the graveyard by denying what was plain to see: Tadej crushed Jonas, beating him in the ascent and, even more decisively on the descent, where most of the gap was created. In the world of reality, rather than the fantsay that Reef related, Jonas will not become a better descender between now and Paris, and Tadej won't get less adept at the skill. Moreover, it wasn't only about the mano y mono, between the two Tour leaders, but the unraveling of Visma, and the dominance of UAE, especially IDT. Barring injury or some other anomalous occurrence, we'll look back at Tadej's win on stage six as the day he won the 2026 TDF.rjb10-07-2026
- Remco continues alternating between Dr. Jekyl and, as he did today post-race, Mr. Hyde, lashing out as others for not racing according to his preferences. This isn't the first time he's complained about opponents' tactics, but it's the first time I've heard him do it to a teammate, and that lack of discretion and team loyalty may come back to haunt him. I though he'd outgrown these childish pouts; obviously, I was mistaken.rjb10-07-2026
Loading