Mathieu van der Poel, a stage victory and the yellow jersey which repair four years of anomaly

The Dutchman had already worn the yellow jersey six days, during the Tour de France 2021, his first.

This time, tears have not flowed. On June 27, 2021, for his first participation in the Tour de France, Mathieu Van der Poel had grabbed the yellow jersey in Mûr-de-Bretagne, from the 2nd stage. The Dutchman had just broken the curse of his grandfather Raymond Poulidor, never honored by the tunic of the Tour de France. The grandson of “Poupou” had not been able to hide his intense emotion, contagious throughout the arrival area. Four years later, the emotion was more contained on Sunday July 6, after a demonstration of force of the 2023 world champion in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Big favorite of the day with a final cut for its status as the best puncher in the globe, Mathieu Van der Poel settled the Sprint in the coast in the streets of Boulogne-sur-Mer, facing specialists of the genre (notably French Kévin Vauquelin, very restless). Above all: he offered his team a second two -step victory on this 2025 Tour de France, after having contributed to that of Jasper Philipsen the day before, to the sprint, in Lille, and recovered the yellow jersey worn by his Belgian teammate.

“We cannot say that it is a big surprise to see him there today, but, given the runners who surrounded him in the end, it is a special victory. Especially with the yellow jersey that remains in the teamappreciated Philip Roodhooft, the manager of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, at the foot of the bus of his collective. Jasper's victory yesterday gave an additional boost. We knew that Mathieu was in great shape, he showed it today. “

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On this 2nd stage, which had the appearance of classics, the Dutchman at the XXL charts was able to repair an anomaly by offering himself – finally – a second stage victory on the big loop, in five participations. Accustomed to podiums The rest of the season, Mathieu Van der Poel had indeed raised his arms on the last three Tour de France.

Forced to abandon in 2022, too blunt after having made the Giro, he was satisfied with a role of luxury teammate for his sprinter Jasper Philipsen in 2023 and 2024. “It has been the best pilot fish in the world in recent years for Jasper. It's great to see it in yellow”rejoiced his teammate Kaden Groves on arrival.

“It does not matter to lose yellow, because he stays in the team and above all, Mathieu merit”Savor Jasper Philipsen, at the foot of the castle of the Counts of Boulogne. A castle that crowned Mathieu van der Poel, relieved. “”I waited four years to win a second time on the Tour but, as four years ago, I leave with yellow in addition to victory. It was worth waiting “smiled the triple winner of Paris-Roubaix and the Tour des Flandres. I knew I could win this step, but the yellow jersey is a nice bonus. “

“I had difficult years on the Tour, even if I always try to be at my best. When we see who is 2nd and 3rd today … I am very happy to win. After four years, it feels good anyway.”

Mathieu van der Poel

on France.tv

To taste the happiness again to raise your arms on the road to the Tour, and to wear the yellow jersey, Mathieu Van der Poel had to work on the longest stage of this 112nd edition. “Above 200 km is another race, which suits me better. The first steps look like classics, that suits us well”explained, after the fact, the Dutchman, who had confessed at the start of the season, At the Belgian media Sporzanot to have “Grande-Chose to win in the Tour” where he is not “Not in competition for the victory half of the time”. But this step was different. As on the Flanderian roads in the spring, MVDP had his teammates ride to master the debates, even if Jonas Vingegaard and La Visma-Lease A Bike tried to thwart his plans.

In the final packaging, despite the repeated attacks, and the presence by his side of the last two winners of the Tour, decided to explain himself from the 2nd stage, Mathieu Van der Poel did not panic, before adjusting the competition in the last coast of the day. By ahead of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard on the line, the 2023 world champion reassured himself on his state of form. And he made an impression.

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“In the past years, I was trying to arrive at my best form on the turn, but it was difficult. This year, we had a different approach by doing the Dauphiné, and that pays”appreciated the winner of the day. In 2021, the one who did not confine himself that at road cycling had remained in yellow six days, until the evening of the 8th stage, before abandoning the next day for the Tokyo Olympic Games for which he was in the running in mountain biking. Four years later, Mathieu Van der Poel again puts on the yellow jersey but, good news: this time, he did not plan to leave the Route du Tour before Paris.

“It's a dream to start like that”, Savor the Dutchman, released by this success he had been waiting for years, and who may well appeal to the program for the next few days. Anyway, Mathieu van der Poel warned: “I hope to keep the yellow jersey for a few days”. Given the form he posted in the mountains on the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is not forbidden to think that he will be able to keep it to the Pyrenees, and thus do better than the six days in yellow of 2021.