Mathieu van der Poel is one of the greatest showmen in professional cycling and the Dutch champion has put together another suspense film to take victory in a rainy stage in Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday.
Having enjoyed a three-minute lead in the 20km chase group to go, leader Alpecin-Fenix was almost knocked down by a late wave from Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar (United Arab Emirates), who reduced his advantage for just 10 seconds at the end.
A tremendous Van der Poel described the torture he endured in the final kilometers.
“It was fine until the last lap, when it was completely empty. I don’t even know how I got to the finish line today,” admitted Van der Poel.
“The last 10-15 kilometers was really hell for me today. I thought he was going to get me. I couldn’t walk 200 watts anymore, it was completely empty with the cold and the long soil I made. I thought he was going to get me and I am very happy to be rewarded with the victory.
“If I had finished in second, it would have been a big disappointment. Did I make history? I have no idea. This is how it is for me, because I don’t remember a race in which I felt this way at the end. Dead at the end. I’m happy to have won , but he was really dead. “
The Alpecin-Fenix rider launched a long-range attack on the vigorous Castelfidardo circuit when a cold front approached and reduced comfortable spring weather conditions to single digits with strong winds and rain.
While riders like Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) were at the rear of the group trying to wrap up against time, Van der Poel, with the energy gel still in his mouth, found himself with a small advantage on the pitch and decided, even more than that was missing. 50 kilometers to run, he would continue because he was cold.
“I wanted to run from a distance on this lap as well. Initially, it was good because we were out with 20 good drivers, but they didn’t work well together. And suddenly I was on a descent while eating something. Only in the last 15 kilometers did I get really difficult, there was also a lot of wind to ride here and it was extremely cold.
“It was too cold to wear anything, I didn’t expect it to be so cold, it was very good at the start of the race,” he said.
We saw Van der Poel collapse on the track after winning the Strade Bianche and Amstel Gold Race, but the effort in the 205 km stage took the world cyclocross champion to its limit, and we are not likely to see him making more attacks in the stages. finals, while he seeks to recover and improve his form for Milan x San Remo next weekend.
“The body was empty. It was certainly one of the most difficult days of my career,” said Van der Poel. “I am certainly proud and also very happy that it worked, because I had very little time at Tadej.”
When asked if such an extreme effort would be a problem for Milan-San Remo, Van der Poel said: “I hope not. It’s another week, so I think I’ll be back. I try to go as easy as possible now. The time trial is not a goal for me and tomorrow there should be a sprint stage where I can try to save some energy. “
Last year, Van der Poel fought in the extreme heat of the August edition of Milan-San Remo, but seems in shape to fight for his second victory at Monument.
“I think the most important thing is the legs. Last year, I just didn’t have the legs to go with Wout and Alaphilippe. I hope to have legs this year.”