Sports
Mathieu van der Poel: sports career, personal interests, family, awards and honors
Sports career
His entry into the world of cycling came in an extraordinary way, with Mathieu van der Poel starting to compete from a young age in cyclocross, where he quickly proved his talent. In 2012, at just 17 years old, he won the junior world title, marking the’beginning of a brilliant career. In 2014, he made his pro debut with the BKCP-Powerplus team, while a year later he won his first Elite cyclocross world title. Effectively, his versatility also emerged on the road, where he achieved his first major success by winning the Amstel Gold Race in 2019. The real consecration came in 2020, when he triumphed at the Tour of Flanders, beating his rival Wout van Aert in a thrilling final sprint. In 2021, he made his Tour de France debut, winning a stage and wearing the yellow jersey for six days. Finally, in 2023, he continued to write his own success story, winning the world road championship and winning Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, cementing his reputation as one of the most accomplished cyclists of his generation.
Personal interests
Away from the public eye, Mathieu van der Poel reveals himself to be a fascinating and multifaceted person with interests beyond cycling. Although his life is dominated by racing and competition, the Flying Dutchman finds time to cultivate personal passions. On the one hand, he is a big fan of golf, a sport he plays regularly to relax and sharpen his concentration. This sport, with its need for precision and strategy, fits well with the mindset of a top cyclist like him. On the other hand, Mathieu is known for his love of cars and mechanics, an interest he inherited from his family. Growing up in an environment where cycling was a tradition, he always wanted to explore other areas as well. Moreover, his personality is characterized by an innate competitiveness, which manifests itself not only in races but also in daily challenges with friends and family. His private life is thus a balance between his dedication to cycling and his desire to experience different things, making him a fascinating and complex character. Mathieu van der Poel‘s private life is a reflection of his versatility and ability to excel in multiple disciplines, making him a unique athlete.
Family
Family support has been crucial in Mathieu van der Poel’s life and career. Growing up in an environment rich in cycling tradition, the young cyclist was able to rely on the experience and passion of his father Adrie, a former pro, and his grandfather Raymond Poulidor, a legendary French rider. This family legacy provided Mathieu with not only a role model but also an incentive to exceed expectations. At any rate, the quality of his natural talent was matched by a solid sports education, which encouraged competitiveness and a desire to excel. In addition to this, his brother David was a source of stimulation and rivalry, contributing to an environment of continuous growth. Their interaction, characterized by challenges and competition, forged Mathieu’s character, making him not only a successful athlete, but also an example of how family support can positively influence an athlete’s career. In this context, Mathieu van der Poel‘s family turns out to be a key pillar in his life.
Awards and recognition for sports merit
The acknowledged merit of Mathieu van der Poel is evident through his impressive collection of awards and recognition. This multi-talented cyclist won seven world cyclocross titles between 2015 and 2025, demonstrating his superiority in this discipline. He also achieved numerous road successes, including two editions of Milan-San Remo and three of the Tour of Flanders, solidifying his reputation as one of the best cyclists of his time. In 2023, he won the world road championship, a goal he had hoped to achieve since his youth. The accolades are not limited to titles: throughout his career, van der Poel was voted Cyclist of the Year on several occasions and received the prestigious Eddy Merckx Trophy in 2023. His versatility has also been rewarded with medals in mountain biking and gravel, including winning the world gravel championships in 2024. With a number of trophies and awards, Mathieu van der Poel has made his way into the hearts of fans and the international cycling scene, becoming a symbol of excellence and determination in modern cycling.
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There are many prominent figures, from the sports world and beyond, who came to Munich to watch the Champions League final between PSG and Inter: among them many VIP Nerazzurri fans, including Valentino Rossi, who has never hidden his support for the Beneamata. The nine-time MotoGP champion told ‘Sky Sport‘ his feelings.
“It’s great to be here– explained Rossi, who has won six times in Germany at the world championship level (one in 125 and 250, four in MotoGp), there’s a lot of tension but the atmosphere is incredible and I myself am excited. To see the stadium filling up minute after minute is extraordinary, I am really very happy to be here”.
The bond between Valentino Rossi and Inter has been witnessed on several occasions, the most recent of which saw the classic symbols that the ‘Dottore’ wears on his racing suits (first on motorcycles and then in cars, in GT championships) directly on the uniforms of the Nerazzurri club, on the occasion of the match between Inter’s Inter and Cagliari last April 12.
The legendary number 46 also therefore chose to attend Inter’s most important match of the season live. Rossi, this year, has lightened his calendar of motoring commitments by choice from the busy 2024 season, partly to be closer to his family, which in early January was further expanded with the birth of his second daughter Gabriella.
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The Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo Delta is rugby champion d’Italia for the fifth time in its history, the third in five years.
The Bersaglieri, in the final of the Serie A Elite Men” got the better of Rugby Viadana 1970 with a final score of 27-21, mainly the result of a 17-0 partial in the second half that frustrated the ambitions of the gialloneri, who came first in the regular season and number 1 seed in the playoffs.
At the “Sergio Lanfranchi” stadium in Parma, site of the tricolor rugby final, the red and blue team started well, taking the lead at 16′ with Moscardi’s goal converted by Thomson, but then (thanks to yellow cards with attached “sin bin” for Fourcade at 14′ and Frangini at 21′) suffered the retaliation of Gilberto Pavan’s men, who first equalized at 24′ with Wagenpfeil’s heavy scoring converted by Roger Farias, and then took over the reins of the match with goals by the same Farias and Sauze (both converted by the Argentine), for 21-7.
These, however, will be the last points of the entire match for Viadana: Rovigo, in fact, first shortened close to the whistle that sent the teams to’halftime with a Thomson square, then went wild (again initially taking advantage of a yellow, inflicted at 44′ on Morosini) in the second half, scoring with Della Sala at 51′ (Thomson transformation), Lertora on a free kick at 63′ and Moscardi at 72′, who completed the comeback: Thomson signs the transformation of the latter goal and it goes to 27-21.
The final is intense but the result does not change anymore: Rovigo thus wins its Scudetto number 15, continuing the great rugby tradition of a club that celebrated the Tricolor from 1951 to 1954, from 1962 to 1964, in 1976, 1979, 1988 (Star Scudetto) and 1990, before a long fast interrupted in 2016. The last titles are those of 2021, 2023 and the one won today. For Viadana, on the other hand, only regrets: the Gialloneri’s only scudetto remains the one won in 2002 in the final against Calvisano.
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Paris Saint Germain and Inter will play for the throne of Europe at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 9 p.m. Nearly 20 thousand Nerazzurri fans will witness the event live, tens of thousands more will be outside the stadium and several million will hold their breath around the world.
The official lineup has been released.
The official lineups have been released: Simone Inzaghi relies on Sommer in goal, Pavard, Acerbi and Bastoni in defense. On the outsides Dumfries and Dimarco, in midfield Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan and Barella. In attack the Lautaro Martinez-Thuram pairing. It’s the best possible lineup for the Piacenza-based coach.
Luis Enrique replies with Donnarumma in goal, defensive four-man line with Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho and Nuno Mendes. In the midfield Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves, the fearsome trident consists of Doué, Dembele and Kvaratskhelia.
PSG-Inter, the official lineups
PSG (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.
INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro, Thuram.
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