The Dutch crashed out of the World Cup, but Van der Poel can immediately restore national pride at the Tour

The Dutch national football team may have crashed out of the 2026 World Cup, but Mathieu van der Poel could quickly ease his country's sporting woes. The Dutch rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech will be at the start of the Tour de France on July 4, and despite the presence of Tadej Pogacar and helping his team mate Jasper Philipsen, he could light up the first week of the Tour.

Van der Poel, who has the added bonus of impending fatherhood, will begin his sixth Tour de France on Saturday July 4. The Alpecin-Premier Tech team leader has enjoyed frequent success in the race. Take, for example, his first Tour appearance in 2021, when he won a stage on the very second day and claimed the yellow jersey as a tribute to his late grandfather, Raymond Poulidor.

In 2022, Van der Poel never found his rhythm and eventually withdrew. In 2023 and 2024, he went on the offensive, set up sprints for Jasper Philipsen, and finished the Tour de France. Tangible results came in 2025, when he raced like a fighter jet for just over two weeks. He won a stage, wore the yellow jersey for several days, and was part of the breakaway five times. Eventually, he fell ill.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Tour de France, the question is, of course: what can we expect from Van der Poel? Philipsen will be back in the lineup, which means the sprints will be up to the Belgian. Jonas Rickaert is on the team as the regular lead-out rider, but Kaden Groves—who was expected to provide extra power in the lead-out train—is missing. So there’s a good chance that Van der Poel will have to do his part as well.

But that shouldn’t spoil the fun, because the Tour de France organizers have mapped out a whole host of fantastic stages for Van der Poel, starting on Day 1. But isn’t there a team time trial on Day 1? Yes, that’s right. But Alpecin-Premier Tech and Van der Poel think they can post a good time—both to secure a strong result and to keep their chances of winning the yellow jersey high in the days that follow.

The day after the team time trial, there are two great stages ahead for Van der Poel. Stage 2 to Barcelona will be a close call, featuring three ascents of the 1.6-kilometer Côte du Castell de Montjuïc at an 8.8 percent gradient. With Pogacar in the mix, that might be a bit too much around Barcelona, but Van der Poel can go far if he sets his sights on something.

The third day of the Tour de France seems more suited to Van der Poel. If he survives the Collada de Toses (9.4 kilometers at 6.6 percent, with the final 3.9 kilometers at 9 percent) in Stage 3, the final stretch features a series of climbs leading to a punchy finish. On the fourth day, a breakaway seems to have a good chance of succeeding, with four climbs and rolling hills for the final 30 kilometers.

After a sprint opportunity in Pau on day five, the finish of the sixth stage seems suited for Van der Poel, were it not for the Col du Tourmalet as the penultimate climb on the course. With the Col d'Aspin coming before it, this stage looks like one for the attackers and general classification contenders. Stages 7 and 8, on the other hand, are for the sprinters. You can bet that Van der Poel will go all out in Stage 9, in a hilly spectacle to Ussel.

The second week isn’t particularly kind to Van der Poel, though Stage 10—after the first rest day—could be a good day for a breakaway. Stages 11 and 12 offer sprint opportunities, while Stage 13 features the Ballon d'Alsace (9.1 kilometers at a 6.8 percent gradient) as the only major obstacle before the finish. A Van der Poel in top form should be able to get through this, allowing him to sprint for the win in Belfort afterward.

Since the final weekend of the second week features uphill finishes for the general classification contenders, Van der Poel can recharge his batteries for a 26-kilometer time trial on Day 16. It’s likely too tough for a stage win, but it could serve as a warm-up for Stage 17, where the breakaway has a chance on hilly terrain. Stages 18, 19, and 20 all finish uphill.

That’s why the final day of the Tour de France calls for Van der Poel all the more—just as Wout van Aert seized the opportunity on the climb up Montmartre in Paris to go for stage victory. You can bet Van der Poel has circled this stage in red, especially if he hasn’t won yet in the rest of the Tour de France.