Mathieu van der Poel is set to start the Critérium du Dauphiné this Sunday, viewing the week-long race as a key component of his build-up to the Tour de France even though he’s still recovering from a broken wrist.
The Dutch cyclist, who claimed major spring wins at Milano–Sanremo and Paris–Roubaix, has just one Tour de France stage victory to his name from 2021. He’s hoping to change that this summer, and the Dauphiné is now a central part of his preparations.
According to Alpecin–Deceuninck team manager Christoph Roodhooft, Van der Poel has been training “reasonably well” in recent weeks, though not at full strength. “Mathieu was very eager to do everything he could to be fit to race,” Roodhooft told Sporza. “Even with a painful wrist, he pushed through training.”
While training hasn’t gone perfectly, Van der Poel has handled the situation well. “Some days were better than others, but mentally he coped quite well. Overall, it wasn’t too bad it certainly could have been worse,” Roodhooft added.
The decision to include the Dauphiné in his schedule came after reviewing last year’s Tour, where Van der Poel seemed to lack sharpness early on. Although he played a key support role for Jasper Philipsen in the sprints, his own performances fell short of his usual standard.
“Last year we felt he didn’t have enough racing intensity in the first week of the Tour,” Roodhooft explained. “That’s why we’re doing things differently this time, adding the Dauphiné even though the broken wrist nearly derailed those plans.”
Van der Poel was determined not to head into the Tour lacking racing rhythm. “That was always a given,” said Roodhooft. “So riding the Dauphiné became essential to his preparation.”
While expectations remain measured, Van der Poel isn’t there just to ride passively in the peloton.
“It’s still uncertain what he’ll be capable of during the Dauphiné, although there are a few stages that could suit him,” said Roodhooft. “Whether he can grab a win right away is another matter. But he’s there to regain that race edge and if an opportunity arises in the early stages, he certainly won’t let it slip.”
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