Mathieu van der Poel '100 percent ready for Paris-Roubaix'

Dutch Mathieu van der Poel of AlpecinDeceuninck pictured on the podium after the E3 Saxo Bank Classic one day cycling race 2041km from and to Harelbeke Friday 24 March 2023 BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS Photo by JASPER JACOBS BELGA MAG Belga via AFP Photo by JASPER JACOBSBELGA MAGAFP via Getty Images
Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck on the podium after the E3 Saxo Classic (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Mathieu van der Poel has described himself as 100 percent ready for Paris-Roubaix after a solid ride at the Scheldeprijs, which ended with the ideal outcome for Alpecin-Deceuninck when Jasper Philipsen took the victory.

With more than half an eye on Paris-Roubaix, Van der Poel opted to work in the earlier phases of the sprint leadout, rather than take any risks, but he still came away more than satisfied with his form. 

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.