Mathieu van der Poel is on the verge of winning the renewi Tour but Arnaud de Lie retained the leader’s blue jersey by narrowly defeating Van der Poel in a final sprint. Van der poel expressed satisfaction with his current form, speaking to VTM News after the stage.
“I went all-out for that first sprint,but then hit my limit,” Van der Poel said,reflecting on the sprint at the green kilometer where he gained three bonus seconds and briefly took the virtual overall lead. “I also felt on Friday in Geraardsbergen that I was reaching my limit relatively quickly.”
Despite the close finish, Van der Poel feels optimistic about his preparation for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Crans Montana on September 14.”I am positive about my form. This race was exactly what I needed. The efforts required in the final stages are comparable to those in a mountain bike race.”
Van der Poel will travel to Les Gets on Wednesday to prepare for the Mountain Bike World Cup,which will be held there next Sunday. He has already begun re-acclimating to the mountain bike. “I’ve been on the mountain bike a few times to get used to the position; that’s the biggest adjustment for me. The technical skills will come naturally if I can ride the course every day from Wednesday. I did something similar in May before Nove Mesto, but I’m hoping to approach the finish with a bit more in reserve this time.”
Cautious Optimism
Regarding the World Mountain Bike World Cup, Van der Poel remains realistic about his chances. “I’ll be starting from the fourth row, and in mountain biking, the start is even more crucial than in cyclocross.The probability of becoming world champion hasn’t increased significantly this week, but I believe I’ve improved my condition. Now, a few days of rest, and then Les Gets will be the true test.”
