Mathieu van der Poel will line up at the start of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday with a clear ambition. After his victories in 2020, 2022 and 2024, our leader can become the first rider ever to win De Ronde four times. He heads to Antwerp with confidence, following a strong final rehearsal during last weekend’s racing.

Condition
“E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem were two very good tests. In Harelbeke, I really had to dig deep to take the win. It was close, but I managed to pull it off. In Wevelgem, I felt a bit less fresh because of that, so as a team we decided to go all-in for Jasper Philipsen in the final. And that paid off as well.”

“In fact, the weekend was quite similar to 2024. Back then, I also won E3 Saxo Classic and two days later I lacked the freshness in Wevelgem to beat Mads Pedersen. But a week later, I won the Tour of Flanders. I’m confident this is the right preparation for both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Over the past week in Spain, I’ve been looking for the right balance between finding those last few percentages and keeping a fresh feeling.”

Teammates
Van der Poel can count on Silvan Dillier, Jonas Geens, Michael Gogl, Edward Planckaert, Oscar Riesebeek and Florian Sénéchal on Sunday.

“Silvan will be lining up alongside me in the Tour of Flanders for the sixth time in a row. Michael, Oscar, Edward and Florian also bring a lot of experience, while Jonas Geens has developed very quickly in the past months since joining the team. They are all strong riders I have full confidence in.”

Tactics
“There will definitely be a tactical plan, but in the end it always depends on how the race unfolds. As a team, we are experienced enough to adapt when needed. There are of course a few certainties: as the distance increases and the climbs come one after another, the strongest riders move to the front. And positioning towards the key climbs is always crucial.”

As a three-time winner, Mathieu van der Poel knows he is among the main favourites and that others will be watching him closely. “That’s part of it and it doesn’t make me nervous anymore. When you’re in good shape, you’re automatically seen as a favourite. I take it as a compliment and it doesn’t change the way I race.”

Competition
“There might be even more favourites this year than last. Starting with Tadej Pogacar, of course. But over the past weeks I’ve also seen a strong Wout van Aert, who is getting back to his best level. Mads Pedersen has also been improving race after race.”

“And then there is, of course, the much-discussed participation of Remco Evenepoel. It’s his first time here, but he’s a top-class rider and he has a strong team around him. Just think of my former teammate Gianni Vermeersch, who knows this race inside out. We definitely shouldn’t underestimate Remco. And yes, I’m glad he’s at the start. The more strong riders there are, the faster the race opens up. That’s not a disadvantage for me.”

Chasing a record
With three victories already to his name, a fourth would make Mathieu van der Poel the sole record holder. “Of course I’m aware of that, and it would be something very special. But I approach the race with the same mindset as always: to try and win. If that eventually leads to a record, I will cherish it. There was a time when winning the Tour of Flanders just once, felt like a distant dream. Becoming the sole record holder would be the ultimate achievement. But we’re not there yet.”

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