Van der Poel's final World Championships tune-up went better than even he expected: 'The lead just kept growing'

Just four kilometers after the starting gun for the final stage, Van der Poel was already making his move. The Dutchman was no longer in contention for the overall classification, so he set off on a bizarre solo breakaway. With a lead of nearly two minutes, he crossed the finish line more than four hours later. It was something rarely seen before.

Why on earth did Van der Poel go on the offensive all by himself so early on? “No idea!” he laughs in the post-race flash interview. “That wasn’t the plan going into the start, but oh well… I was actually on my own from the very start of the race, so I just wanted to ride at my own pace all day.'

We know that the Dutch rider’s pace is fast, and the peloton recognised the danger. But even the entire peloton couldn’t get any closer. “At first I thought the chasers—the breakaway riders—would catch up, but I just kept pedaling at full power. The lead just kept growing, so I decided to keep pushing all the way to the finish.”

Mathieu van der Poel had several goals in Luxembourg. He was eager to win a stage—and he ended up winning two. The overall victory was also a possibility, but that plan fell through. But his main goal was to prepare for the World Cycling Championships in Montreal. While the time trials are being held this Sunday, the Dutch rider tested his legs ahead of the road race. With a performance like that, he’s immediately back among the favourites.

A week as strong as this must surely give the Dutchman confidence. “I hope so. My legs felt incredible today, but the past few days didn’t really go the way I wanted. I just got back from Spain and was maybe a little overtired, but today I really felt great again.” Next week, he’ll travel to Canada to compete for his second world road title.

In Luxembourg, he wasn't able to clinch the overall victory, but Van der Poel won both the opening stage and the final stage. But that wasn't the most important thing. “Today’s feeling is especially important. I love coming here, it’s a really beautiful, well-organized race, so I’m glad I won the final stage.”