Repetition and consistency, that's how Mathieu Van der Poel trains and lives

In the midst of the drive to continue making history in the Monuments, with an eye on a possible fourth consecutive Paris-Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel now appears in a completely different light. Shimano has released “This is Home,” a short film that moves away from the competitive focus to explore what lies behind one of the most influential cyclists of his generation.

Shimano shows the most intimate side of Van der Poel in its new film “This is Home”

Far from explosive attacks and solo finishes, the piece emphasizes something much less visible but equally crucial to performance: the environment in which everything is built.

The film unfolds in two key settings in Van der Poel's sporting life, the surroundings of Antwerp and the Moraira area, places where he regularly trains. This is not a casual choice. These are roads repeated over and over, well-known climbs down to the millimeter, and routines that are part of the invisible process that supports his results.

RECOMENDADO

FOX takes a major step forward with the new GRIP X: prices for the new range

Del Toro abandons due to a fall and Axel Laurance wins stage 3 of the Itzulia 2026

Nino Schurter and David Valero will share the starting line again this weekend

This cycling bell goes through the noise-canceling headphones

Pogacar and the limits of the tire: Roubaix will determine how far one can go

How, when, and how much: the ultimate guide to carbohydrates for cyclists

This documentary makes it clear that performance does not arise in the race, but in the constant accumulation of hours on the bike. A philosophy that is reflected in the very narrative approach of the video, focused on repetition, consistency, and connection with the environment.

In this context, his life outside of competition also appears, with everyday moments alongside his partner, Roxanne Bertels, and their dog. An evident contrast to the usual image of the rider in full action.

The documentary also serves to contextualize Van der Poel's figure within one of the most influential legacies in cycling. Grandson of Raymond Poulidor and son of Adri van der Poel, his trajectory cannot be understood without that legacy, but it is also not explained solely by it.

From his beginnings in cyclocross, where he dominated with an uncommon naturalness, to his evolution on the road, his career has been marked by a way of racing that is hard to categorize. Unpredictable attacks, instinctive race reading, and a constant ability to reinvent himself.

Victories in events like Paris-Roubaix or his prominence in the Tour have solidified that profile of a total rider, capable of making a difference on any terrain.

One of the most interesting points of the documentary is that it does not seek to explain how he wins, but why he can do so. And that is where the central concept of the film comes in. The “home” not as a physical place, but as the space where the habits that allow competing at the highest level are built.

The series “This is Home,” of which this is the sixteenth installment, had already explored this approach with other riders, but in the case of Van der Poel, it takes on a special meaning due to his understanding of cycling.