Van der Poel crushed by Lidl-Trek's iron grip: "Perhaps he was too eager with his efforts, but that's easy in hindsight"

Mathieu van der Poel stole the show at Gent-Wevelgem, but after an entertaining race, he ultimately had to settle for second place. In a head-to-head sprint against the formidable Mads Pedersen, Van der Poel narrowly missed the win. The battle for third in the peloton saw Jordi Meeus just beating Jasper Philipsen, placing Alpecin-Deceuninck in second for both sprints following a stellar race.

"I was a bit afraid of being dropped on the second ascent of the Kemmelberg, so I clung to Mads' wheel. Then I tried to recover a bit for the sprint, but I was really spent. The strongest definitely won," was Van der Poel's candid reaction, who can look back on a fantastic race from his end.

Philipsen convinced Alpecin-Deceuninck is solid as a team

Philipsen, alongside Van der Poel's other teammates, recognized the world champion's exceptional condition. "Winning Gent-Wevelgem is never straightforward. Pedersen is an incredibly strong competitor," Philipsen commented to the press, including IDLProCycling.com after the event. "I think it was a good situation for us,but with Pedersen you just know it's not going to be easy to win the sprint."

The Belgian sprinter also delivered a solid performance. "I was well-positioned in De Moeren, but there was still a long way to go. I was caught off guard when a group made a move on the Kemmelberg. Having Mathieu with us wasn't a bad spot to be in. We didn’t really have to chase in the peloton. In my view, the peloton wasn’t pushing very hard, which is why a large group ended up sprinting for third place. It’s a shame Mathieu didn’t win, but I think as a team we rode a great race."

Lidl-Trek was notably strong in the past classics, and Gent-Wevelgem was no exception. Alongside Pedersen, Jonathan Milan and Jasper Stuyven were sharp. "Lidl-Trek was very strong, especially Pedersen. They had a good presence at the front on the Kemmelberg," acknowledges Philipsen, who was then asked what conclusions he drew from the 253-kilometer race. "I think as a team we are in good shape and we can be confident for the next races."

Vermeersch says Van der Poel can head to the Tour of Flanders with confidence

Gianni Vermeersch, who placed 47th and was in a good position in the first echelon, before De Moeren, also performed well. Once the Dutch leader made his move, he played a key role in the strategy. "Losing to Pedersen is nothing to be ashamed of," the former gravel world champion points out. "He's incredibly hard to beat in a head-to-head. We gave it our all and stayed aggressive all day. We basically executed a flawless race, but in the end, someone was just stronger."

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Vermeersch points out that Van der Poel's exertions in the E3 had an impact in the finale. "Winning two such races back-to-back would have been extraordinary. So, it's understandable he was a bit more worn out by the end. Nevertheless, I think he had a successful weekend and can approach next Sunday's Tour of Flanders with confidence."

Philip Roodhooft sees the rock-solid Lidl-Trek team as positive development for cycling

Finally, team boss Philip Roodhooft was also very pleased with the performance of the rainbow jersey. "With Pedersen, known for his power and long-range efforts, you know it's going to be a tough sprint to win. Mathieu always has a chance, as shown. The battle was fair," the Flemish manager begins regarding the final sprint.

The discussion then turns to the iron grip by Lidl-Trek's dominant trio - Pedersen, Stuyven, and Milan were notably numerous. "Mathieu made generous efforts, perhaps trying to sidestep Lidl-Trek's iron grip. It has often worked out well; this time, you might argue it could have been dialed back a bit. But that's analyzing with the benefit of hindsight. Making decisions in the moment is what counts. Naturally, after such an intense race on Friday, feeling a bit drained towards the end is expected. However, we can't just rely on Jasper. It's not guaranteed he would win the sprint. That became clear in the chase for third place."

The likeable team manager concludes with praise for Pedersen and the Lidl-Trek team. "They didn’t just cause problems for us. Perhaps the most surprising factor was Jonathan Milan. It’s a scenario that could also happen in the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. No matter how well we're doing, we never assume it's a done deal. After the E3 on Friday, there was talk of only two candidates for the Tour of Flanders, but I think Gent-Wevelgem showed that there are definitely more. That's definitely positive for the sport. Lidl-Trek will also have to take responsibility."