Mathieu van der Poel is the current world champion, but not every World Cup has been a success. Things went very wrong in Australia, as you may recall.
In 2022, Van der Poel also went to the World Cup with ambition. He slept in a hotel with his girlfriend, isolated from his teammates. His sleep was disturbed at night by teenagers who repeatedly knocked on his door. Van der Poel chased them down and would end up in jail that night. A day later, he quickly gave up during the World Cup.
In the Netherlands, they fear that things will get out of hand in a similar way to the Olympics in France. That is why they are allowing their riders to sleep in isolation in a forest near Paris. The decision has been largely welcomed by Dutch cyclists.
“When we explored the time trial course at the centre, I immediately noticed the madness and the noise. One day, the taxi drivers were angry there. Training here in the forest is great,” says Demi Vollering in advertisementShe is also interested in the Olympic Village. “Of course it’s nice to have such an atmosphere, but I know how distracting it can be,” says Ellen van Dijk.
“I was able to figure that out earlier and I really like being able to work towards the games in peace.” Puck Pieterse also doesn’t need extra entertainment. “I’ll look at my game on Sunday. But we also have a games room here where we can play darts, table tennis and pool. I enjoy it.”
Dan Hall, Mathieu van der Poel's valet, is having a slightly more difficult time. “I have mixed feelings. The first games I play are very special for me personally, but I understand the sporting considerations. Performance comes first.”
