Mathieu van der Poel is the Most Exciting Guy on Two Wheels
It’s been a wild few weeks on the spring WorldTour circuit for Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon – Circus). It’s his first go at racing the spring road classics, but it took very little time for Van der Poel to become a household name.
First, he took a win at Grand Prix de Denain in France.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZXm9fBhVB/?utm_source=ig_embed
Then, last Wednesday, he took the sprint at Dwars door Vlaanderen after an impressive attack to bridge the gap to the lead group.
Attack by @mathieuvdpoel on the Knokteberg! Together with 4 other riders he tries to bridge the gap with our leaders #DDV #DDV19 pic.twitter.com/NHI7EJUoUo
— Dwars door Vlaanderen (@DwarsdrVlaander) April 3, 2019
What an impressive way to win his first Dwars door Vlaanderen! Congrats, @mathieuvdpoel 😍🏆 #DDV #DDV19 pic.twitter.com/YQ2jTc2rq3
— Dwars door Vlaanderen (@DwarsdrVlaander) April 3, 2019
This week, Van der Poel finished fourth at the Tour of Flanders after tearing through the field in an absolutely miraculous post-crash recovery. While signaling for his team car after a flat, he went over the handlebars and then sat for a minute favoring his shoulder.
Flat tyre and painful fall for @mathieuvdpoel just before the second passage on the Oude Kwaremont. Will he be able to come back? #RVV #RVV19 pic.twitter.com/bqfSbTkzqa
— Ronde van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) April 7, 2019
Oh, and lest we forget, this crash came after Van der Poel went down hard at the Nokere Koerse during the finishing sprint.
Mathieu van der Poel is afgevoerd na een zware val in de massasprint van #NokereKoerse: is zijn voorjaar op de weg al voorbij? https://t.co/6bZf4c6SfJ pic.twitter.com/XBYwZpR3gS
— Sporza 🚴 (@sporza_koers) March 20, 2019
That’s all impressive and cool. In between his crashes, miraculous recoveries and winning, Van der Poel has also found plenty of time to pull off some sweet on bike antics. At Dwars door Vlaanderen, he helped clean the road at 35 km/hr. Watch it a few times to fully appreciate the skill. #trashtag
In volle finale van #nokerekoerse is het bij @mathieuvdpoel nog altijd safety first! 👏 pic.twitter.com/I6oZEE7zRp
— sporza (@sporza) April 3, 2019
Back to the Tour of Flanders. Van der Poel’s sideways skid after hopping up a curb during the final moments of the Ronde van Vlaanderen is one of the craziest things I’ve seen someone do on a road bike.
To add to the data file. After the over-the-handlebars crash on Flanders, in the chasing group, he rides up a curb at 89degrees perpendicular, skids'r sideways and recovers as if that was his intension. #mvdp pic.twitter.com/cOjMgRCaaR
— Pizza Steve ✖️ (@SteveBilicki) April 8, 2019
He, of course, can pull off some sick wheelies.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvzLon_Bybr/?utm_source=ig_embed
Finally, he just did this.
🏆 Etape 1⃣ #CircuitSarthe – La Châtaigneraie ➡ La Châtaigneraie : Victoire de Mathieu VAN DER POEL (54 – COC) pic.twitter.com/MWqtgw7YTR
— Circuit Sarthe (@circuitcycliste) April 9, 2019
A slick as hell sprint at Stage 1 of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe. Are you not entertained?
