The Alpecin-Deceuninck team boasts world class athletes, such as the Dutch professional cyclist.
Born in 1995, has excelled across road racing, cyclo-cross, and mountain biking with a remarkable record of important victories, being now part of one of the most titled and successful teams of the entire World Tour circuit. The taking part to the Australian Tour Down Under 2025 will mark the official beginning of the partnership with Pirelli, equipped with the P ZERO RACE TLR RS. Mathieu van der Poel tested them during a training camp, and he took the time to take us on a journey through his path, sharing insights along the way.
What do you think are the characteristics making a tyre a great cycling one? What's the first feeling after riding with Pirelli tyres at the training camp?
I think what you need in a cycling tyre is, of course, grip, but also the speed. I think those are the two most important parts. For me, as a classic rider, I also need some comfort on the cobbles. After the first tests, I can affirm I really like the tyres. I've tested it quite a lot, I didn't have to deal with punctures, which is super important, and I noticed a lot of grip also here on Spanish roads. It can get slippery sometimes, and I always felt in control.
How important are your tyre choices for success in the different disciplines you perform? How do you balance them all?
As a team, we are practicing different disciplines: I really love changing bikes, I think this approach keeps me motivated and hungry for my goals. Mountain bike, but also gravel ones, have now become pretty big, so I think it's important to have a lot of different tyres to try. On the road, tyre is key for a good performance.
Gravel is growing fast. What do you enjoy the most about gravel racing?
Gravel racing is something I've been doing for a while now. I have some lovely gravel roads where I live in Belgium. It's a refreshing change of pace compared to riding on the road, I would say it's a bit less tactical but races are really hard: you go really fast pace from the start, it's more like a survival race, which is something I really enjoy.
Mountain bike is where it all started for you. How does it feel to now switch back to mountain bike after a long period of focusing on road and cycle cross?
I've always loved mountain biking, especially the training. You have the chance to train in really beautiful places that you couldn't reach with a road bike. I've always loved just being in the mountains. That's the thing I like the most.
What is your best memory or moment on the bike?
When I think about my best memories riding a bike, I think they will be enjoying a training with friends, just having fun together.
But if I were to say what the best moments were, for me, it would be winning big races: I think that's what it's all about for me. That's the reason why I train also so hard. I would say crossing the finish line first is the best moment.
