Cycling enthusiasts who want to see Mathieu van der Poel live in action can come to the professional wheel round Etten-Leur on Sunday 17 August. He has recovered from pneumonia and drives his first criterion after the Tour de France.
With Van der Poel, the organization brings an absolute crowd puller to Etten-Leur. He won a stage last Tour de France and rode in yellow for four days. Van der Poel did not get Paris because of pneumonia, but is no longer bothered by it.
“It is really not a matter of course that every year we have the absolute top of cycling in Etten-Leur at the start,” says chairman Ronnie Buiks. “As an organization, you try to keep the balance in all the major matters, the program of the rider, health, finance and especially a nice hospitality.”
He is no stranger in Etten-Leur, because Van der Poel already participated twice before and won both times. For his third win in a row, he has to deal with, among others, the Dutch pros Daan Hole, Elmar Reinders, Frank van den Broek and Pascal Eenkhoorn. Belgian champion Tim Wellens is also at the start.
Among the women, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Lorena Wiebes are present, respectively the winners of the yellow and green in the Tour de France Femmes. Also Lotte Kopecky, Anna van der Breggen and Lucinda Brand, among others.
At the beginning of the afternoon there is also ‘violence’ by bike and by Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland. The track cyclists compete against each other in a sprint duel on the road.