Mathieu van der Poel believes that the potential for chaos in the men’s road race at the Paris 2024 Olympics could play to his advantage. Saturday’s race will have a field of just 90 riders, and no single team is likely to be able to control the peloton across its 273km.
“With those small teams, it's a bit of a wait-and-see situation for me, but it does look like it could be an uncontrolled race,” Van der Poel told Wielerflits. “It depends on the legs, but I would say it's an advantage for me. You have to be on your guard at every moment of the race. It could happen suddenly, and then you have to make sure you’re there.”
Van der Poel will line up as one of the outstanding favourites for the gold medal, alongside Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, and home hope Julian Alaphilippe.
“The role of favourite is not that bad,” Van der Poel said. “In a Classic, it is certainly a bit more predictable, because you have your own team with you that can help control the race. That’s the big difference, but the goal itself remains the same.”
The Dutchman will hope to replicate his performance at last year’s World Championships in Glasgow, when he claimed the rainbow jersey with a devastating long-range attack. Like last summer, Van der Poel warmed up for the title race by riding the Tour de France primarily in the service of his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jasper Philipsen, helping to tee up a hat-trick of stage wins.
Van der Poel’s own form remains something of a mystery, though he has enjoyed a remarkable season thus far in the rainbow jersey. Although he raced just seven times before the Tour, Van der Poel collected crushing victories at the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and E3 Harelbeke, as well as podium finishes at Gent-Wevelgem and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
“I came out of the Tour fresher, but that doesn't mean I'll have the legs from the Glasgow World Championships again,” Van der Poel said. “Every year is different, of course. I've stuck to the preparation I had for Glasgow – not exactly the same, but you still keep it in mind.”
Van der Poel confirmed that he would forgo the opportunity to reconnoitre the finishing circuit, which is centred on the short, sharp climb up Montmartre. He cited the speed restrictions in place for Thursday’s official reconnaissance window, where cyclists had to ride the circuit in a convoy at a maximum speed of 30kph. Van der Poel preferred to train on Thursday in the vicinity of his hotel in Saint-Lambert, southwest of Paris.
“I don't think it's useful at all. It only makes sense to do it at a higher racing speed,” Van der Poel said of the recon, according to AD. “I don't think it's worth the effort to travel there for an hour and a half. I'd rather choose a training session here and then rest.
“Of course, I would have preferred to see it myself, but those are considerations. But I certainly have a good idea of it. There are a lot of videos, and the national coach gives us all the information. Normally, that climb should suit me well. The ambition to win here is very big.”
Van der Poel has never previously competed in the road race at the Olympics, having focused on the mountain event in Tokyo. After crashing out of that event three years ago, Van der Poel had long toyed with the idea of riding both the mountain bike and the road race in Paris. He ultimately opted to focus solely on the road race, but he indicated that he might target the mountain bike again in Los Angeles in 2028.
“I actually never ride a mountain bike anymore, unfortunately, not even for fun,” Van der Poel said. “The last time was during the test event for the Olympics in September. But yes, I do think about the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in four years' time, and making mountain biking a big goal there. By then I will be at the end of my career with another very nice goal.”
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