Van der Poel's plan for Tirreno-Adriatico

From this afternoon we will be able to watch the Tirreno Adriatico 2023 in which Mathieu Van der Poel arrives a little overshadowed after his modest debut in Strade Bianche and the tremendous participation of the Race of the Two Seas. A Mathieu Van der Poel who is aware that he has to be calculative and be clear that his time this season has not yet come.

Clear objectives for Mathieu Van der Poel

Fans of the great Dutch rider were surely a bit disappointed with the modest 15th place Mathieu Van der Poel took in his season opener a couple of days ago at the Strade Bianche. Just a timid movement at the top of Monte Santa Maria, the most decisive section of the race, when Tom Pidcock had already been leading for a while and clearly trying to close the gap afterwards.

However, speaking before the start of Tirreno-Adriatico, Mathieu Van der Poel made his goals and plan for this race clear: "I think I'm going to be more calculating in this race. It's only my second race and I still have to improve my form. I will use this Tirreno to be on top in the Belgian classics which are my main goal this spring".

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Mathieu Van der Poel also took the opportunity to talk about his performance in Strade Bianche "the sensations were not bad. I didn't expect to be at my best".

This does not mean that we will see Van der Poel hiding in the peloton throughout the week, but rather that he will choose his moment better, without ruling out a stage win if the circumstances are right.

A similar approach to that of his great rival Wout Van Aert who commented before the start of the Race of the Two Seas: "My goal in this Tirreno-Adriatico is to improve my form ahead of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Also, next week there are races in which I want to get a good result and test myself. It's therefore difficult to be here at my best every day."

It is therefore unlikely that we will see a Mathieu Van der Poel repeating the performance of 2021 when he managed to win two of the stages in addition to the one he won in 2020, although knowing the Dutch genius, one thing is what he says and another thing is what we see later in the race, as hot blood can often overcome good sense.

In any case, it looks like Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout Van Aaert will continue to postpone their battles this road season to the remaining Belgian classics with the goal for both of them set on the magic week of Flanders and Roubaix. In De Ronde, Van der Poel has the chance to join the select club of those who have won this race three times, while Van Aert has yet to win the classic of the walls. Something similar happens to both of them with Roubaix, where neither has won the precious cobblestone despite being among the undisputed favorites for several years.

Let's not forget that, before that, even if it's not about cobblestones, there will be the Milan-San Remo, a race where two riders of his category will surely be protagonists. So let's be patient.