When van der Poel wants something, there's no stopping him, as Alpecin-Deceuninck knows only too well: "Of course it drives you crazy sometimes"

With Philipsen's stage win and yellow jersey in Lille, the Tour was already looking good for the Belgian team, but when van der Poel also won the next day and took the lead, it got even better. The team was also very visible throughout the rest of the week on various fronts. “I think that as a team, we set the tone for the Tour in the first seven to eight days,” sports director Christoph Roodhooft told De Telegraaf.

The duel with Tadej Pogacar in Boulogne-sur-Mer was fantastic, and two days later, they faced each other again. This time, Van der Poel had to concede defeat to the world champion. “Mathieu could have won a second victory there, but this was already very special. For someone with his heavier build to finish second on that difficult finish among all the climbers is very impressive.”

The Alpecin-Deceuninck chapter of the Tour began in 2021 with the Dutch leader's victory on the Mûr-de-Bretagne. “In the end, we could write a whole book with special chapters just about this Tour. There are many remarkable moments, such as the one when he lost the yellow jersey and then tried to regain it. At moments like that, you know that only Mathieu can do it,” said the Belgian.

Even though he has been working with van der Poel for years, he is still amazed by his performances, including the one on the ninth stage. “They are all endeavors that you say are special because he can do them, but even more special because he wants to try. That move with Jonas on Sunday was a "mission impossible." You think this or that will happen. There are many ways to win a race, and if Mathieu only falls 750 meters short, then it was achievable, which made the idea realistic after all.”

Together with Jonas Rickaert, Van der Poel broke away at the start of the stage. It was all about combativeness, which was a dream for the Belgian teammate. “And if they had been in a position to win the stage, there would have been no discussion. Mathieu would have let Jonas take the victory,” says Roodhooft. “That's how we know Mathieu. We had already achieved our goals with the team in the first weekend, so Mathieu thought it was time to give the others in the group something special.”

No one expected the attack, although it's not the first time the former world champion has pulled something crazy out of his hat. "Of course, it drives you crazy sometimes, even though you know Mathieu never does anything without a reason. It's not just for fun. When he launches something or starts something, he really thinks about it. He sees many things, remembers an incredible number of details, and notices a lot during the day, such as someone riding a different bike or using different equipment. Things that happen in the race immediately catch his eye, and he is also able to anticipate them right away. Really, Mathieu sees everything."