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And that makes it two for Alpecin-Premier Tech. Adrie van der Poel saw that his son Mathieu, after winning Stage 9 himself, was now setting up teammate Jasper Philipsen. However, Van der Poel Sr. emphasizes that it goes far beyond just Mathieu’s excellent lead-out. “This was truly a team effort,” he told IDL Pro Cycling in Voiron.
No sooner had the riders set off from Chambery than they were, as the saying goes, at the finish line in Voiron. “It was truly a bizarre stage. It was nonstop: attacks, everyone chasing each other, riders getting dropped and then coming back, and different groups forming. It really didn’t let up for a single moment,” Adrie analyzed from the Belgian team’s bus.
"The course was incredibly tough right from the start. The pace was already so intense on those first climbs. After that, they had to tackle a few more unexpected sections. It wasn’t until later that the course got a little easier, but by then the riders and the teams had already suffered so much," said Adrie. “The first group that remained consisted of only about 35 riders! From my own experience in the Tours I’ve ridden, I can hardly remember such stages existing back then.”
He attributed this to the fact that the stage to Voiron was the last chance for many riders to succeed. “There are still a lot of teams that haven’t won anything in this Tour. Of course, they’ll keep trying, no matter what happens. Because of that, there’s never any calm in the peloton. But if you look purely at our own team, it’s great that luck is on our side once again.”
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Adrie van der Poel: a 'Matter of Faith and Trust' at Alpecin-Premier Tech
Alpecin-Premier Tech had also been building up to Stage 17 for days, but—just like on Day 9—they hit the mark in a transitional stage. “That also has to do with keeping the faith and trusting each other. It’s the strength of this team—though everyone knows that by now—that when there’s a chance for a stage win, we go all out as a team. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, like at the start of the Tour when we just fell short. But it’s a matter of sticking to the plan and keeping at it.”
This time, the plan was to go all out for Philipsen in the final. “At the end, you go for clarity. If Philipsen indicated that his legs weren’t up to it anymore, you could say, ‘Mathieu, you give it a try.’” But they were in an excellent position. This was a finish that simply suits Jasper better, because you have to start from the front, whereas Mathieu has often come from behind in the past. It’s nice that the choice can be made so clearly.”
"This really shows the chemistry between Mathieu and Jasper. Keeping up the pressure and staying confident is paying off. Other teams might have started making different plans," he says regarding Philipsen's lack of a stage win so far. “You should always judge your riders based on the qualities they do have, not on what they can’t do. Never let panic guide your decisions; it’s a very bad advisor,” Adrie hits the nail on the head.
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Adrie van der Poel: 'I don't think Mathieu is upset about how the race went'
According to Adrie, Van der Poel is sitting at the dinner table with a smile that’s perhaps even bigger than if he’d won himself. “I don’t think Mathieu minds how the race went today. Of course, it makes it even sweeter when your teammate wins,” says Van der Poel’s father, who once again points out that there were other key riders at Alpecin-Premier Tech besides his son.
"It's all about the team: just look at who was there today—Plankaert who came along, Silvan Dillier and Emiel Verstrynge who did their part... I just heard on the bus that it was also thanks to Jonas (Rickaert, ed.) that everyone stayed calm on the final climb, so they didn’t burn themselves out. This was just an amazing team effort.”
