Mathieu van der Poel achieved a significant milestone by winning a stage at the Tour de France after 1471 days, marking his return to the top step of the podium. Known for his mixed feelings about the Tour, Van der Poel expressed pride and emotion in his victory, particularly since it commemorated his late grandfather, Raymond Poulidor. With a tailored course in 2025, he felt well-prepared and credited his success to a new training regime, including an altitude camp and leading races leading up to the event.
"The first year was a bit more emotional, as it was the first year that he died. I wanted to race the Tour so bad when he was here, but that was not possible."
"I wanted to race the Tour so bad... The first year was super emotional, now I'm more proud to do it again. It's been a while, so I'm just happy to finally win my second stage in the Tour de France."
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