“He’s a very great runner, like his grandfather”: Joop Zoetemelk sees Poulidor in van der Poel

2023-08-06 21:20:44

By donning his new rainbow jersey on the Glasgow podium, Mathieu van der Poel ended a 38-year wait for the Netherlands. He succeeds Joop Zoetemelk, who had beaten Greg LeMond to become world champion on September 1, 1985. A nod to history, the two men know each other very well, since the winner of the 1980 Tour de France shared the road with Raymond Poulidor, the grandfather of the new world champion, and Adrie van der Poel, his father. In front of his television, Zoetemelk, 76, was delighted to see his compatriot succeed him.

What did you think of Mathieu van der Poel’s victory?

Joop Zoetemelk. It was very beautiful to see, an incredible final with the riders who are most in sight at the moment like Van Aert or Pogacar. They were favorites at the start and they showed what they are worth to have a very good race. Mathieu showed that he was the strongest of the four. It was beautiful to see and I’m very happy with the result. He is a good successor, I was the last Dutch world champion 38 years ago and Mathieu is succeeding me so I am very happy.

Do you know him well?

I have known him for many years, I have already seen him several times, especially when he was doing cyclo-cross. I especially know his father Adrie, his mother too, Corinne. And Mathieu is someone who knows what he wants, he knows what he is capable of and he showed it today. He was very very strong, I think he did the Tour de France a bit inside to try to be on top today. And he proved that he had done well.

Does this performance surprise you?

No way. It’s a 271 kilometer race and at the beginning, he reserved himself, he let others do it and in the end, he was present. He had more juice than his opponents. It was a course that suited him, very technical. Moreover, the four riders who were in front are all very technical riders, who are very stable on the bike, who have sometimes done cyclo-cross.

Is he a good successor for you?

Beautiful. I like riders like that, who are dynamic and who know what they want. He doesn’t need advice, he knows where he wants to go. It’s also important to have a world champion who likes to take risks during the races. He has already had a great season this year with Milan-SanRemo, Paris-Roubaix, it’s magnificent. I am very happy for him.

Aren’t you sad not to be the last Dutch world champion anymore?

No, not at all (laughs). Holland is a country of bicycles and I was sad to wait for a successor for 38 years. Anyway, I remain world champion, it does not change anything. And I am delighted that he is my successor.

You know the family very well too, especially Mathieu’s grandfather, Raymond Poulidor…

I was a teammate with his grandfather at the beginning of my career, at Mercier, and with his father, Adrie van der Poel, during my last years at Kwantum. I also finished on the same Tour de France podium with Raymond in 1976. I was second and Raymond third, with Lucien Van Impe winning. I am very happy for his family that he manages to achieve his goals like that.

Did you keep a relationship with him after your career?

During our careers, we already had a very good relationship. After my career, we continued to see each other with Raymond Poulidor, we played cards together. And with Adrie, we see each other from time to time when I go to the Netherlands. We also call each other regularly. When he does his cyclo-cross in Hoogerheide, I am often invited to attend this event. I get along very well with all his family and I am very happy for them. Mathieu is a great runner, like his grandfather.