Anyone who follows Mathieu van der Poel on social media knows the Dutch superstar leaves nothing to chance when it comes to training. But according to Michel Cornelisse, the reigning classics king’s work ethic is even more extreme than most fans realise.
The former Alpecin team boss — who now serves as directeur sportif at UAE Team ADQ — shared a remarkable behind-the-scenes story about Van der Poel during an appearance on the podcast De Grote Plaat.
Michel Cornelisse: “Mathieu van der Poel, of course”
When asked which rider he would sign for the spring classics with an unlimited budget, Cornelisse did not hesitate.
“Van der Poel, of course.”
The 60-year-old praised not only Van der Poel’s performances but also his personality. “He’s not just a great rider, but also a fantastic person. He’s very normal,” Cornelisse explained, while stressing that he respects many riders in the peloton.
Can Mathieu van der Poel win Liège–Bastogne–Liège?
Despite already building an extraordinary palmarès filled with Monument victories and World Championship titles, Cornelisse believes there is still room for Van der Poel to add more — particularly at Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
“For his list alone, that would be nice,” Cornelisse said about the Ardennes Monument, often referred to as La Doyenne. “I definitely think he can do it.”
Van der Poel has only raced Liège–Bastogne–Liège twice, finishing sixth in 2021 and an impressive third in 2024. According to Cornelisse, that selective race calendar is actually one of the Dutchman’s biggest strengths.
“Maybe it’s his quality that he only races when he’s 100 percent. He doesn’t race much, but when he does, he wins a lot.”
Van der Poel vs. Tadej Pogačar: A rivalry defined by belief
Cornelisse also highlighted the mentality shared by Van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar.
“Guys like that don’t go somewhere thinking: maybe I can win. They go there thinking: I can win.”
Pogačar, currently one of the most dominant riders in the world, reportedly has the ambition to win every cycling classic. Cornelisse believes that goal is realistic — but there is one recurring obstacle.
“He often runs into Van der Poel, who has a slightly better sprint. Then it always becomes difficult.”
The Calpe training story that says everything
To underline just how exceptional Van der Poel’s preparation can be, Cornelisse shared an extraordinary training anecdote involving teammate Edward Planckaert.
The team was training in Calpe, a popular winter base for professional cyclists.
“Mathieu was riding alone at 38 kilometres per hour, while the rest were riding together at around 33,” Cornelisse explained.
The result after a full training day was staggering.
“After eight hours, Mathieu had ridden more than 30 kilometres ahead of them.”
Training like a classic winner
Cornelisse compared Van der Poel’s relentless engine to former Dutch pro Jelle Nijdam.
“I saw it with Jelle Nijdam as well. He trained like an animal, and I was sitting in the wheel,” Cornelisse recalled.
The difference, he joked, was reflected in the results. “He won the classics, and I won the kermesse races.”
Cornelisse himself enjoyed a successful career, including victory at Nokere Koerse. But when it comes to raw training power and race-day dominance, his message about Mathieu van der Poel is clear: the Dutchman’s success is no coincidence — it is built on extraordinary commitment, supreme self-belief, and workload numbers that almost defy belief.
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