Van der Poel surrenders to Pogacar: "If he has a good day, I can't follow him"

Despite being happy after achieving an unexpected podium at Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2024, Mathieu van der Poel was realistic about his level and that of Pogacar, using practically the same words that his archrival, Wout van Aert, used to refer to him a few months ago during the cyclocross season.

Sporting recognition from Mathieu van der Poel to Pogacar's superiority in Liege

The classics campaign comes to an end and with it comes a well-deserved rest for Mathieu van der Poel, who has continued to fill his record with successes by winning the E3 Saxo Classic and, above all, the monumental double in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. However, the expectation that a reduced participation in the cobblestone classics would allow him to have a chance in the Ardennes races did not go as he would have liked for the Dutchman. "Perhaps I underestimated the wear and tear of Flanders and Roubaix," Van der Poel admitted.

And so the Alpecin-Deceuninck cyclist could do nothing to be in contention for victory in a Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2024 where Tadej Pogacar did not give anyone a chance to dispute the win. In any case, in the statements after the race Mathieu van der Poel was categorical, acknowledging that "I know that if Pogacar has a good day I can't keep up with him, not even with my best legs. We also know that he can have a bad day, at least I hope he can have one."

Anyway, Mathieu van der Poel was happy after the end of Liege-Bastogne-Liege, not only for reaching the third step of the podium "I didn't think I could get a podium spot until 5 kilometers from the finish line", but also for, as we explained before, the excellent balance left by the classics campaign despite the fact that in both the Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege it was clear that he was not the overpowering cyclist who amazed on the cobblestones.

The end of the first block of the season for Mathieu van der Poel, who will now actively rest for a few days before starting the preparation for his next big goal, the appointment with the Olympic Games in Paris for which it is still to be revealed which events he will face, only road, only XCO, or both events; and his approach to this event, with the question of whether he will include in his preparation, like last year for Glasgow, participation in the Tour de France.