Cycling: Is Mathieu van der Poel capable of winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège despite his large size?
Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and now Liège-Bastogne-Liège? Mathieu van der Poel aims for a coronation on a fourth different Monument, Sunday April 21 (12:30 p.m. on france.tv and 3:15 p.m. on France 3). The 29-year-old Dutchman, untouchable since the start of 2024, would then become only the second runner to achieve this performance in the 21st century, after Philippe Gilbert.
But the “Dean of the Classics” is far from being the race that suits him the most. She is used to rewarding climbers. Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel are the last three winners. Van der Poel, whose weight approaches 80 kg, is heavier than all the crowned runners in the 21st century.
Nothing to slow down the person who won three victories in just six days of racing this year, flying over Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.“Winning is possible. If I wasn’t convinced of that, I wouldn’t even bother to participate”he said in a press release from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team.
For Thomas Voeckler, consultant for France Télévisions, the idea of seeing him triumph in the Burning City is credible, but depends on several parameters: “Given what he has shown so far, in a different register, it is not impossible. We will have to see if he will benefit from his best form, which was not the case in the Amstel Gold Race “, finished in 22nd place anonymously last Sunday.
- For more: Elrisala website and for social networking, you can follow us on Facebook
- Source of information and images “svoboda“
