Van der Poel confirms Tour de France participation — but also has another surprising main goal

Mathieu van der Poel has confirmed he will participate in the Tour de France, while also revealing another surprising main goal for the remainder of his 2026 season. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider finished fourth at Paris-Roubaix and claimed four wins this spring, including two stages at Tirreno-Adriatico, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and the E3 Saxo Classic. Speaking to Spanish outlet AS on April 30, 2026, Van der Poel said he felt better this spring than in 2025, despite not winning a Monument, and expressed satisfaction with his performance level.