'It really hurt' — Mathieu van der Poel on his first Giro d'Italia stage win
Dutchman leads race after stage one in Hungary
Mathieu van der Poel is a man used to winning. The Dutchman had already done it three times in just 10 race days this season, including at the Tour of Flanders a month ago.
However, he had never raced the Giro d'Italia before. He came into stage one of the Corsa Rosa as the overwhelming favourite for the punchy finish up to Visregárd, although it was unclear if it would be too hard for even as multi-talented a rider as Van der Poel.
Yet he delivered. With an astonishing burst of power with about 100m to go, the Alpecin-Fenix rider came from seemingly nowhere to storm to victory ahead of Biniam Girmay.
It was tough though. The Dutchman admitted after the finish that "it really hurt". He did not even get a chance to raise his arms off his bars as he crossed the line in first.
"It’s pretty special," he said. "I didn’t have a chance to celebrate on the finish line because I had to dig so deep, but yeah for sure I’m going to realise it in a few hours for sure, and then enjoy it with the team tonight."
After his success at the Tour de France last year, where he wore the yellow jersey for six days after winning stage two, this felt almost inevitable, although Van der Poel did have to come from a long way back to triumph.
"I knew positioning was going to be the key to win today," he explained. "That was a bit difficult sometimes, I got boxed in a few times on the final climb. It cost a lot of energy to catch up with the guys in front of me. At the final I just launched my sprint and I was pretty close because the legs were full of lactic acid of course, but I’m really happy."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
As a result of his win, he became only the 16th active rider to have claimed a leader's jersey in at least two of the Grand Tours. His grandfather, Raymond Poulidor, never wore the maillot jaune at the Tour, despite finishing on the podium eight times, and never raced the Giro. Meanwhile, his father Adrie van der Poel wore the yellow jersey once, but never the maglia rosa.
"It’s pretty cool, it was a unique opportunity for sure to get the jersey," Van der Poel said. "The yellow one was maybe even more special with the family history behind it, but this jersey was also one of my big goals this year. It is crazy to get it. Wearing a leader’s jersey in a grand tour is special, not a lot of riders can say that, this one is pretty high in the ranking."
On a reasonably dull day in Hungary, he managed to marshal his reserves to perfection, holding enough back for that final climb.
"It was a really easy stage until the last 20km I think," he said, saying what all viewers watching thought. "Everyone was still pretty fresh. It was really hard to hold the position, but I’m glad I managed it."
Tomorrow is a time trial, not the preferred discipline for Van der Poel, but one that he has performed ably in before. At just 9.2km, it might not pose too many questions, but he could still lose out to a TT specialist.
At last year's Tour, the Alpecin rider produced the race against the clock of his life to finish fifth and hang onto the overall lead, so it is not out of the question.
"I hope so, for sure I’m going to try," he said when asked if he had a chance of remaining in pink after tomorrow. "Also in the Tour I didn’t expect to hold onto yellow after the time trial, so I will try to surprise myself again tomorrow.
"I’m going to try again for sure, just like in the Tour it’s going to be difficult."
If there is one thing we all know about Van der Poel, it is that he will try. We might be surprised ourselves tomorrow.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
Specialized slash prices up to 50% as brands navigate post Covid turmoil
Half price savings go live on the Specialized website as industry chaos continues
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Was this the best women’s Classics campaign ever?
Every race seemed to go down to the wire, with little in the way of control or domination. It could hardly have been better
By Adam Becket Published
-
Wout van Aert to miss Giro d'Italia due to injuries suffered at Dwars door Vlaanderen
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider was set to ride the Italian Grand Tour for the first time
By Adam Becket Published
-
Opinion: Mathieu van der Poel firmly grasps legend status with second Paris-Roubaix victory
Reigning world champion deserves his place alongside Roger de Vlaeminck and Eddy Merckx as one of cycling’s greatest-ever one-day racers
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
Van der Poel ‘in a different league’ at Paris-Roubaix, says Mads Pedersen
Former world champion forced to settle for third on the podium behind Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I just wanted to make it a hard final' - Mathieu van der Poel on 'unplanned' Paris-Roubaix winning attack
The world champion launched his race winning move on the Orchie cobbled sector, almost 60 kilometres from the Roubaix velodrome
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I’m just here to enjoy it': Tom Pidcock on his surprise Paris-Roubaix appearance
British rider was a late addition to the Ineos Grenadiers team for the race across the pavé
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mads Pedersen: Paris-Roubaix suits me better than the Tour of Flanders
'The dream scenario will be to finish alone with two minutes... but it's not going to happen,' says the former world champion
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'It's one of the hardest races I've ever done' - Mathieu van der Poel on his historic Tour of Flanders victory
World champion becomes seventh man in history to win the race three times
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel wins record-equalling third Tour of Flanders with 45km attack
Dutchman pulls off audacious long-range coup to claim Monument victory
By Tom Davidson Published