Van der Poel full of confidence and ready to make a statement: "Maybe he'll attack early"

The 'Mini-Tour of Flanders' is scheduled for Friday. Last year, Van der Poel was the strongest rider there, and Alpecin-Deceuninck is counting on the Dutch rider's skills again this year. "Mathieu is our plan A, but we have a strong team on the whole," Xandro Meurisse told L'Équipe. "And I'm not even talking about what our opponents, such as Wout van Aert, might do." Van Aert returns to racing after a long altitude training camp in Tenerife.

Defending his title would confirm the former world champion's status as the top favorite for the Tour of Flanders. After his victory in Milan-Sanremo, his confidence is through the roof. "Of course, he will try to win, but with him, you never know how: maybe he will attack early," his Belgian teammate laughs. "Given the form he showed in Sanremo, he can perform well."

Pogacar will not be in Harelbeke, even though he was on the start list last week. But that doesn't matter to Van der Poel. "He doesn't look at who is at the start of the race; he concentrates on himself. He has nothing more to prove, considering his track record." Surprisingly, the two rivals will face each other again in Paris-Roubaix. Pogacar's exploration of the cobblestones in northern France is no coincidence, as Meurisse sees it. "It wasn't just for fun or to test the equipment. Otherwise, the staff would have sent a rider who lives nearby, not in Monaco. It would have made no sense not to participate in the race afterward."

Meurisse believes that Pogacar and Van der Poel are miles ahead of the competition. Case and point: Milan-Sanremo. "Those guys are on another level. It's crazy how they climbed the Cipressa and Poggio. Mathieu, who doesn't weigh as much as Pogacar, managed to keep up with one of the best climbers in the world. He continues to impress me, even after all the races he won."

The duo will be top favorites for the upcoming classics. But what will the rest of the spring look like? Adrie van der Poel sees that his son has a significant advantage in the Hell of the North. "His victory in Milan-Sanremo has given him peace of mind, but Pogacar remains the best for now. Mathieu already said it: he has to be at 110% to stay on Tadej's wheel. But riding on the cobblestones of a one-day race to win or a grand tour to avoid losing time, that's different.!

Van der Poel receives an award even before the start. The organization creates a personalized gift for the previous edition's winner every year. Geraint Thomas, for example, received Belgian beer for his wedding, and Fabian Cancellara received his weight in wine. The Dutch rider has yet to find out what he will receive, but his girlfriend, Roxanne Bertels, can give him some hints. PR man Jacques Coussens was ultimately responsible. "I'm not saying anything, but I hear that Mathieu is going to be very happy with what he will receive," he told Het Laatste Nieuws.