Potential for chaos in Paris road race could benefit Van der Poel

Mathieu-van-der-Poel-2024

Mathieu van der Poel considers the potential for chaos in the men’s road race at the Paris 2024 Olympics as a possible advantage. The race will feature only 90 riders, meaning no single team can control the peloton across its 273km course.

“With those small teams, it’s a bit of a wait-and-see situation for me, but it does look like it could be an uncontrolled race,” Van der Poel told Wielerflits. “It depends on the legs, but I would say it’s an advantage for me. You have to be on your guard at every moment of the race. It could happen suddenly, and then you have to make sure you’re there.”

Van der Poel will be among the favourites for the gold medal, alongside Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, and French hope Julian Alaphilippe. “The role of favourite is not that bad,” Van der Poel said. “In a Classic, it is certainly a bit more predictable, because you have your own team with you that can help control the race. That’s the big difference, but the goal itself remains the same.”

The Dutchman aims to replicate his performance at last year’s World Championships in Glasgow, where he claimed the rainbow jersey with a long-range attack. Like last summer, Van der Poel prepared for the title race by riding the Tour de France mainly to support his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate, Jasper Philipsen, helping him achieve a hat-trick of stage wins.

Van der Poel’s form remains somewhat uncertain, though he has enjoyed an impressive season in the rainbow jersey. Although he only raced seven times before the Tour, he secured victories at the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and E3 Harelbeke, along with podium finishes at Gent-Wevelgem and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

“I came out of the Tour fresher, but that doesn’t mean I’ll have the legs from the Glasgow World Championships again,” Van der Poel said. “Every year is different, of course. I’ve stuck to the preparation I had for Glasgow – not exactly the same, but you still keep it in mind.”

Van der Poel confirmed he would skip the opportunity to reconnoitre the finishing circuit, centred on the short Montmartre climb. He cited the speed restrictions in place for Thursday’s official reconnaissance window, where cyclists had to ride the circuit in a convoy at a maximum speed of 30kph. Van der Poel chose to train near his hotel in Saint-Lambert instead.

“I don’t think it’s useful at all. It only makes sense to do it at a higher racing speed,” Van der Poel told AD. “I don’t think it’s worth the effort to travel there for an hour and a half. I’d rather choose a training session here and then rest.

“Of course, I would have preferred to see it myself, but those are considerations. But I certainly have a good idea of it. There are a lot of videos, and the national coach gives us all the information. Normally, that climb should suit me well. The ambition to win here is very big.”

Van der Poel has not competed in the road race at the Olympics before, having focused on the mountain event in Tokyo. After crashing out of that event three years ago, Van der Poel considered riding both the mountain bike and the road race in Paris. He ultimately decided to focus solely on the road race but suggested he might target the mountain bike event again in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I actually never ride a mountain bike anymore, unfortunately, not even for fun,” Van der Poel said. “The last time was during the test event for the Olympics in September. But yes, I do think about the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in four years’ time, and making mountain biking a big goal there. By then I will be at the end of my career with another very nice goal.