Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Deceuninck) unveiled his race calendar for the 2025 road season at his team's media day in Spain in February. The reigning cyclocross world champion had originally planned to start the season on 10 March at the Tirreno-Adriatico long-distance race. On 3 March, however, his team announced somewhat surprisingly that the Dutchman would be contesting his first race of the season on 4 March at the Ename Samyn Classic and then Tirreno-Adriatico. This will be followed by the spring classics Milan-San Remo (22 March), E3 Saxo Classic (28 March), Tour of Flanders (6 April) and Paris-Roubaix (13 April) for the 30-year-old.
Mathieu van der Poel beckons record at Tour of Flanders
Van der Poel emphasised at his team's media day that his main focus is on the Belgian one-day races - he has his sights set on the Tour of Flanders in particular: "I would rather win the Ronde a fourth time than Ghent-Wevelgem for the first time," said the Dutchman. With a fourth victory in the Tour of Flanders, van der Poel could become the sole record holder.
With his great adversary Wout Van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) will face van der Poel for the first time at the E3 Saxo Classic before the superstars compete against each other at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Against Tadej Pogačar at Paris-Roubaix?
Tadej Pogačar will also want to get involved in this duel again. The Tour de France winner will ride against van der Poel for the first time at Milan-San Remo, and later at the cobbled E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders. With a Exploring the Arenberg forest Pogačar recently fuelled speculation about a possible participation in Paris-Roubaix. Van der Poel was also asked about this at his team's media day: "I don't know his plans for Roubaix. If he decides to take part, he will be a tough opponent. He already proved that at the Tour of Flanders. I had good legs there, but he left me behind on the Oude Kwaremont." Against Pogačar you "always have to give 110 per cent to have a chance."
Unlike last year, van der Poel is skipping the Ardennes classics such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The 30-year-old will then focus on the Tour de France from 5 to 27 July. The Dutchman is hoping for a stage win in the first week. In addition, Alpecin-Deceuninck has renewed ambitions with Jasper Philipsen. Following the Tour, van der Poel will concentrate on the Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans Montana, Switzerland, on 14 September. "After the Tour, I will definitely switch to mountain biking. It's an ideal time to concentrate on mountain biking again and to set the world championships as a goal after the Tour de France." It was the "last piece of the puzzle" that he was still missing, explained the cross world champion.
The racing calendar of Mathieu van der Poel
- Ename Samyn Classic (04.03.)
- Tirreno-Adriatico (10.03.-16.03.)
- Milan-San Remo (22/03)
- E3 Saxo Classic (28.03.)
- Tour of Flanders (06.04.)
- Paris-Roubaix (13.04.)
- Tour de France (05.07.-27.07.)
