Mathieu van der Poel has come to terms with the fact that he had to relinquish his yellow jersey to Tadej Pogacar again on Friday. The Dutchman knew what to expect before the stage. That’s why he decided to enjoy it extra.
“With a finish like today, I knew that if I wanted to keep up with the best riders, I would need my very best legs,” Van der Poel began with the NOS after the seventh stage. “And yes, beforehand I already knew that I wasn’t going to have them today.”
Van der Poel already lost contact with the best at the beginning of the final climb, Mûr-de-Bretagne. Pogacar took the initiative, beat Jonas Vingegaard in the sprint for the stage win, and thus conquered the yellow jersey.
Van der Poel finished 22nd, 1 minute and 20 seconds behind Pogacar. The leader of Alpecin-Deceuninck is now fifth in the general classification, 1 minute and 29 seconds behind the Slovenian world champion.
“On the first passage of the Mûr-de-Bretagne, I didn’t crack completely, but I knew that they would ride even harder the second time,” said Van der Poel. “I was realistic enough to know that I would lose the jersey after today.”
Van der Poel felt his legs after a tough week
Van der Poel felt his legs after the strenuous efforts earlier this week. “I sometimes wonder how the rest recover so well,” he said with a laugh. “I’m glad that I can mainly focus on the classics. But I really enjoyed the last day in yellow.”
“Maybe I even enjoyed it more than during the first days, because I knew I was going to lose the jersey. And to be back on the Mûr-de-Bretagne… This is a unique place for me.”
On the Mûr-de-Bretagne in 2021, Van der Poel achieved his first stage win and also took the yellow jersey. The victory four years ago was very emotional for ‘MVDP’, because he dedicated it to his deceased grandfather Raymond Poulidor.