Right on time An unexpected visit to Heerlen to follow one of the last cyclocross races of the season gave me the opportunity of witnesssing the first elite victory of Mathieu Van der Poel. A convincing victory without giving chances to some of the best elite professional cyclocross riders. David, the older brother, placed on the 7th spot in a great race too beating guys like Kevin Pauwels or Niels Albert. They have been racing in the under 23 category and this season they have achieved good results in some races against the best pro riders in the World. Future as cyclocross riders looks promising for the sons of Adri van der Poel and grandsons of Raymond Poulidor.
David van der Poel, the older brother, was born in 1992. David gathers several dutch titles in the young categories and for the next season he moves up to the elite category. In principle, he should take these next years to improve his skills and develope his phisical level to be ready to fight for the first places of an elite race at top World level.
How was the race today David?
Good, I have had some bad races on last weeks, so i’m happy with my race today.
Did you try to be at the front and fight for the podium?
Yes, with three laps to go I closed the gap with Thijs van Amerongen but then it was hard for me to keep on and I went some places back. I finished 7th and it’s ok, I’m happy with the result.
How is for you, being under 23, to race with the elite guys?
For me it’s a nice preparation for the next year, because on next season I am turning elite, so if I’m going to race with them, it’s better to gain some experience.
And for the next year, do you think that you can already be at a good level and fight for the top 15 or even for the top 10?
Yeah, I think that’s my goal, to be at places from 10 to 15th, it’s a good target I believe, and with a little improvement it should be possible.
How was this season for you?
Well, it was a good season for me. I got lots of 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and 6ths places, and that considering the under 23 category level… it’s difficult because Mathieu and Wout Van Aert are really better that the rest so there is only one spot left on the podium and I have been always at the front positions during the whole season.
Next season you will race for the BKCP as well. Considering you switch to elite, are you going to plan the pre-season in the same way with the road races?
Everything regarding preparation and training will be planned in the same way, nothing changes.
Have you ever thought about focusing on road racing?
Not, not really. I like cyclocross, more than road racing, and I also think that I’m better at cyclocross than at road. Moreover I think that the BKCP is a good team and that’s the reason why I have signed for 4 more years with them.
For the training, do you always train at home or do you travel from time to time to find better weather?
We live in Belgium, close to the border with Holland and we usually train here. It’s flat, but good for training. Sometimes we go to Spain for one week or ten days, but most of the time we train at home.
One of the big races of this season, the Worlds. You were racing at home, how did you feel?
For me it was a good race, I had good legs, but it was unfortunate, I fell of the bike on the last laps and at that moment I was almost fighting for the third place, but in the end I’m happy with my race that day.
Best moment of this season for you?
I have a couple of races where I was really good. Anyway as I said, with two or three guys that are so strong, it’s difficult to be on the podium. This year I was almost always in the top ten and top five, and that’s no easy… last year I had some 15ths and 20th positions so this year has been much better.
Do you already have an idea about your calendar for the next season? Superprestige? Bpost?
I will do only one, not both, either the Superprestige races or the Bpost bank Trofee ones, it’s not decided yet. Apart from that I hope to be selected for the World Cups, and I would like to do some races in Switzerland and Luxemburg too. Racing the two series it’s too much for a young guy like me, and the idea it’s to do one race a week.
The plan is to take it easy, keep growing and improving and maybe in two or three years I can be racing at a really high level with the pros.
© cobblesandhills.com
Mathieu was born in 1995, he’s the young brother. With being only 19 he has already won even more important races than David. Among many other victories, Mathieu has won two junior cyclocross World titles, one of them paired in the same year with the junior road World title achieved in Florence in 2013.
Hello Mathieu, proficiat for the race today. How was it?
Yeah, thank you. It was really a good race, I took the lead from the start and I could ride the entire race alone so I’m very satisfied.
Before the race started, was it your plan to do it like that?
No, not at all. The feelings on the last weeks weren’t that good so I didn’t think I could win, and to be able to do it with racing almost the entire race alone in the front, it’s a surprise for me.
The race wasn’t really fast, but the road parts helped, because the mud sections were quite heavy.
When you race with the big guys, you always try to race very hard, not hidding but fighting with them for the front positions.
Yes, it’s something that motivates me. To race with the big names, that gives me extra strenght to ride.
But what’s your intention? Do you try to prove yourself against them? Your level against them? Or you just try to do your best at every race?
I try to give the best of myself, only that. But the thing is that as I said, I get more motivation when I can race against the pros.
On this race today, you performance has been amazing. I guess that you took a relax last lap, but before that, your gap advantage was above 30 seconds with the second rider.
Well, that’s true. I temporized the last lap, I didn’t want to do stupid mistakes that could cost me the race. Even though, at the end became very though because I had been almost the entire race at the lead and that is hard to maintain. So at the end I tried to avoid errors and to be sure of winning.
How was this season for you? I would say great according to your results.
Yes, it was good. In my first year in the under 23 category I won the World Cup and the Superprestige, and placed second in the Bpost Bank Trofee overall. So, yes, I can say that it has been great.
And for the next season, the training and preparation will be the same?
No, the race season will be more focused and planned according to the preparation of the cyclocross season in comparison with the last year.
So this means that you are already focusing your career in cyclocross and not in the road?
Yes, indeed. Same as my brother, I have signed a four years contract with my team, the BKCP Powerplus, a cyclocross team, and that’s my goal for the coming four years. Anyway, we aslo have a nice road season with the team, and I will try to do my best there,
Considering the achievements of your father and your grandfather, do you ever feel pressure about your performance and rider career?
No, not at all. I just want to make my own history. I don’t think about it, I mean, it’s great what they have done but I would like to make an achievements line on my own.
I already asked this to your brother too. How was racing the World Championship at home? Did you think that you had chances of winning or did you think that Wout van Aert was too strong?
I came there to win. So well, I was a bit dissapointed on that moment, but I can’t do anything about it, I just did my best and that’s all you can do in a situation like that.
For the next seasons. You have four years signed with your current team, and most of them are still for the under 23 category. Which is the plan? To continue on racing in the under 23 and develope your career step by step?
Well, it’s possible that next year I might race one of the big series with the pros, but that’s not sure yet. Anyway the idea is to develope and gain more strenghts, with the main goal for the future of being part of the best riders in the cyclocross elite category.
How do you do your trainings? Do you train alone or with your brother?
Most of the time it’s with my brother or someone from the team but almost never alone.
You’re still 19, do you get inspiration from some riders or do you admire one of them in particular?
Obviously Sven Nys was the first one when I was a little boy and I watched him winning on the Tv. But then they came Lars Boom, Niels Albert, Stybar,… the usual ones for the young riders.
© cobblesandhills.com