THEMOVE What Was Behind Van der Poel & Alpecin's Massive Gamble? | Tour de France 2025 Stage 9 | THEMOVE
Van der Poel’s Tireless Breakaway Effort
- Mathieu van der Poel made a heroically exhausting breakaway attempt, eventually being caught near the finish.
- The teammate was dropped, and it showcased van der Poel's determination despite fatigue.
Van der Poel's Bold Kilometer Zero Move
- Mathieu van der Poel shocked the peloton by attacking at kilometer zero with a teammate.
- This rare move gave them a massive lead, making the stage very exciting even though they were caught near the end.
Why Alpecin's Early Breakaway Was a Masterstroke of Cycling Strategy
Alpecin–Deceuninck stunned the peloton by sending Mathieu van der Poel and a teammate in a breakaway right from kilometer zero, a rare and taxing tactic that caught everyone off guard.
This move shocked the peloton so much that they initially didn’t react, letting the duo build up a four to five-minute lead. Because they worked together efficiently, even in the intense heat, they gained a significant advantage despite eventually being caught near the finish.
While some speculated it was retaliation for a points competition incident, van der Poel denied this, making the effort even more remarkable given his fatigue over the preceding days.
The team forced rival squads like Lidl Trek to burn energy chasing, which indirectly contributed to Tim Merlier’s sprint win by weakening Milan’s lead-out.
> You can’t give a guy like Mathieu van der Poel four or five minutes with a teammate, because you know they’re going to go all in, riding together efficiently. It made for a very, very exciting stage. > > — George Hincapie