Surname poulidor It has gone down in the history of sports as a synonym for second best, but don’t pay attention to it at face value. The legend comes from its repeated sterility in the Tour de France, where he added three second places, five third places, and never wore the yellow jersey. But pou-pou He did win many races, and of quality, such as the Milan-San Remo of 1961. This Saturday, 62 years later, his grandson Mathieu van der Poel also inscribed his name in the prestigious honors of the classicissima. They are two very different cyclists. Raymond Poulidor was more volatile, while van der poel his father has gone out more, adriena prominent classicist who won the tour of flandersthe Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Amstel Gold Race, among other. In SanremoHowever, his best placing was twice seventh. The son is already ahead.
Mathieu achieved an impressive victory to add his third Monumentand a different second, after his two successes in flanders. shine in the Spring It’s always important, but this case is made even more important by how he managed to do it. van der poel he left in the Poggio in a direct pulse with Tadej Pogacar and Wout van Aerttwo of the stars of the moment, who also joined Filippo Ganna, an excellent time trialist. To subdue these three phenomena face to face, without the surprise factor, is only within the reach of the chosen ones. Van der Poel is. And also his rivals from yesterday, hence the greatness of his conquest. The Dutchman thus ties Monuments with pogacar. An interesting duel, because both have the profile to be able to complete all five in the future, a remote milestone in modern cycling. In history only three champions have done it: Eddy Merckx, Roger deVlaeminck and Rik Van Looy. In that constellation they move.