"It has been a difficult week," said the winner in tears on Flemish television. This winner is none other than Mathieu van der Poel, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor, who died on Wednesday. "Both physically and mentally, it was very painful," continued the Corendon-Circus team rider on arrival.
In the Czech plowed, the 24-year-old rider beat Belgium's Eli Iserbyt (same time) and his compatriot Lars van der Haar, who crossed the finish line 12 seconds later. His fourth victory in so many crosses this season comes three days after the word of his grandfather Raymond Poulidor, recurring rival of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx on the road in the 60s and 70s.
The funeral of "Poupou" scheduled for Tuesday
Despite the death of "Poupou", winner of Milan-Sanremo and eight times on the podium of the Tour de France, without ever winning, van der Poel has not changed his program this week. He will play Sunday in Hamme, Belgium, the 5th of eight sticks on which he plans to line up in November.
A double world cyclo-cross champion, van der Poel has chosen since early 2019 to concentrate mainly on the road, on which he won the Amstel Gold Race in the spring. Raymond Poulidor's funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at 10 am in his Limousin village of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat (center).