“I Think Mathieu Will Be Hard to Beat”: Van der Poel’s Long-Time Domestique Reflects on Moving to a Rival Team
In professional cycling, loyalty and camaraderie often define the careers of domestiques—those selfless riders who sacrifice personal glory to propel their team leaders to victory. For years, one such rider devoted himself to the service of Mathieu van der Poel (MVDP), one of the sport’s most dazzling and dominant figures. But in a twist that reflects the ever-changing landscape of professional cycling, Van der Poel’s long-time domestique has joined a rival team. And while the move marks a new chapter for him, it hasn’t diminished his admiration for his former leader.
“I think Mathieu will be hard to beat,” he admitted candidly in a recent interview, a statement that underscores both respect and realism about the challenge of facing Van der Poel from the opposite side of the peloton.
A Partnership Forged in Sacrifice
For cycling fans, Mathieu van der Poel represents everything thrilling about the modern peloton—explosive acceleration, tactical genius, and the ability to dominate across multiple disciplines: road racing, cyclocross, and mountain biking. Yet, behind every attack on the cobbles of Flanders or every daring sprint to the line is a team of riders who clear the path, shield from the wind, and ensure their leader has the energy to strike when it matters most.
For years, Van der Poel’s domestique—now a rider charting his own course—played this unheralded but vital role. Whether it was dragging the peloton on brutal climbs, chasing down breakaways, or positioning his leader perfectly for a decisive move, he was part of the invisible scaffolding that supported Van der Poel’s towering success.
“When you ride for someone like Mathieu, you know your job is to give everything. He doesn’t waste what you do—he makes it count. And that’s motivating in itself,” he reflected.
The Emotional Toll of Leaving
Switching teams in cycling is rarely just a business transaction. Bonds formed in the heat of battle—through crashes, victories, and countless hours of grueling training—are not easily broken. For the domestique, the decision to join a rival team was not taken lightly.
“It was strange, honestly. When you’ve spent so much of your career working for one rider, it becomes second nature. The idea of lining up against him, instead of protecting him, felt almost surreal at first,” he said.
Ultimately, the move was motivated by opportunity. A new contract offered not just financial security but also the chance for personal growth—something domestiques often crave but rarely pursue while serving a superstar leader. At the new team, he would take on more responsibility, perhaps even leadership in smaller races, while still supporting marquee riders in major competitions.
Facing the Mathieu Question
The elephant in the room, of course, is what happens when he finds himself in direct competition with Van der Poel. The cycling calendar is long, and encounters on the cobblestones of Belgium or the mountain roads of France are inevitable.
His perspective? Clear-eyed and respectful.
“Look, Mathieu is special. He has that killer instinct, that ability to make a race explode. You can be on your absolute best day, and he’ll still find a way to hurt you. So yes, I think he’ll be very hard to beat,” he said. “But at the same time, cycling is unpredictable. That’s why we race. You respect what he can do, but you don’t line up already beaten.”
This acknowledgement reflects the duality of professional cycling: admiration for a rival’s talent, tempered by the competitive fire that keeps every rider believing in the possibility of an upset.
Van der Poel’s Aura in the Peloton
Mathieu van der Poel has a reputation that extends beyond his victories. He’s seen as a rider who reshapes races, who bends tactics to his will. His domestique-turned-rival explained it well:
“When Mathieu is on the start list, every team changes its strategy. You don’t just race your plan—you race his presence. He forces you to react, to adapt, and often that’s where he beats you, even before the final kilometers.”
That aura, built on years of winning monuments and world titles, is something his former teammate knows intimately. Having been part of the machine that delivered Van der Poel to glory, he understands better than most just how formidable a task it is to dethrone him.
What the Future Holds
For the domestique, the new team represents a chance at reinvention. He won’t shed the role of team-first rider—few cyclists truly escape it—but he’ll have greater opportunities to chase results of his own. Stage wins in week-long tours, aggressive breakaways, or even leadership in smaller one-day races are all within reach.
At the same time, he relishes the challenge of contributing to a team that may one day topple Van der Poel in the classics. “That’s the beauty of cycling. Today you help one guy win, tomorrow you’re trying to stop him. Either way, the sport demands everything you have.”
Respect That Runs Deep
Despite the professional split, the respect between rider and leader remains unshaken. The domestique was quick to emphasize that leaving the team wasn’t about dissatisfaction or disillusionment—it was simply about opportunity.
“I’ll always be grateful for those years with Mathieu. We achieved things most riders only dream of. But careers are short, and sometimes you have to take a chance for yourself. That doesn’t change the respect. If anything, it makes it stronger.”
Conclusion: From Ally to Adversary
In the world of cycling, where allegiances shift but rivalries endure, the story of Mathieu van der Poel’s former domestique highlights the complexity of the sport. It’s a tale of loyalty, growth, and the inevitable intersections of competition.
As he embarks on this new chapter, he carries both the lessons and the scars of his years riding for Van der Poel. And though he now lines up in a different jersey, the sentiment remains the same: admiration for a once-teammate who continues to shape the sport.
“I think Mathieu will be hard to beat,” he said. And coming from a man who once helped make Van der Poel unbeatable, those words carry the weight of truth.
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