Van der Poel does not usually spend a long time dealing with such a disappointment. After the race, he managed to put it into perspective and, one week later, remained that way. ‘I expected a little more from it. That’s right. I had the legs I wanted to have. I knew it would be a tough race. That proved the case,’ said the Dutchman, who was caught between Belgian tactics with Wout van Aert and eventual winner Remco Evenepoel.
“That’s the advantage of two favorites you can play off. I thought it was done when we rode away with the first group. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and Remco then snatched the moment well,” VDP recalled.
Van der Poel’s Olympic dream remains alive after Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. In 2028, the next Games will be in Los Angeles, USA. “Then I’m a bit towards the end of my career and would love to get back on the mountain bike. It’s technically and physically enormously difficult. But it is a discipline that allows me to release my energy and what I enjoy doing. That would be a great way to end my career,” he says.
Meanwhile, he saw track cyclist Harrie Lavreysen win three gold medals. “A phenomenon, his achievements speak for themselves,” Van der Poel evaluated. “In a completely different branch of sport. They have to stay calm and be explosive. At the crucial moments, Harrie is always there. Nice to see… Everyone knows how difficult that is.”
