What did you think of Mathieu last Sunday at the Amstel Gold Race?
”He wasn't that bad but didn't run like usual. He waited longer for others to work. In vain…”
He said he didn't have the legs to ride more offensively…
“Maybe. I especially saw that some riders rode according to him. It’s not always Alpecin-Deceuninck who has to take charge.”
In addition, Mathieu no longer has an obligation to achieve results after his successes at Le Ronde and in Enfer du Nord…
“It's also true. He can be very happy with everything he has already accomplished this year. But I am convinced that he is still in very good shape.”
In the same form as at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix?
”That, we’ll see, but I think so. With hindsight, I tell myself that he was better at Roubaix than at Ronde.”
What Mathieu achieves this year is even stronger than in 2023.
Do you have the impression that too much is expected of Mathieu?
”I sometimes have the feeling that people think that everything is easy for Mathieu but he works a lot and agrees to make a lot of sacrifices. What he achieves remains extraordinary. This, especially since, mentally, it is even more difficult for him this year due to the absence of many other leaders. Mathieu and his teammates had a lot more pressure in 2024 and they handled it admirably. Until Roubaix, it was perfect.”
For you, what is Mathieu's best victory this year?
”He absolutely wanted to win the Tour of Flanders with the world champion jersey. But for me, what he achieved in Roubaix was still on a higher level. He started from further away and had fewer possibilities to widen the gap. At the Tour of Flanders you can make the difference in every climb and there are many. At Paris-Roubaix, you can't make the slightest mistake. And when he arrived at the Roubais velodrome, I found him much fresher than a week before in Oudenaarde.”
Unlike most runners, Mathieu doesn't need many races to win… He's in good shape straight away.
”This means that his way of training is the right way. Even if I don't see him every day, I know that my son can go very far in his reserves in training. He is capable of hurting himself as badly as in a race.”
Does he get that from his dad?
(He's laughing) “Oh no, not at all ! I didn't like very high intensity workouts. I preferred long, quiet outings. Fortunately for me, it was a different time: as we did more races, we didn't have too much time for specific training or altitude courses.”
Are you still surprised by what your son is doing?
”Of course I’m surprised. He manages to improve every year. I remember that at the end of last season, we said to ourselves that he would not be able to do as well in the future. Well yes! Without pretension, I would say that what Mathieu achieves in 2024 is even stronger than in 2023.”
Mathieu is one of the favorites for victory on Sunday in Liège. But does he really nourish this ambition?
”You should ask him. What I know is that it is one of the two monuments that suit him the least with the Tour of Lombardy. But knowing him, I'm convinced he'll try. He really has nothing to lose.”
Like Mathieu, Pogacar amazes me with the frequency of his exploits.
Can he beat Tadej Pogacar?
”If he knows how to follow it until the sprint, why not? But we know that Pogacar is not just anyone. He's a runner that I love. Like Mathieu, he amazes me with the frequency of his exploits. I get chills when I see him riding. Besides, I enjoy seeing the way all these offensive guys ride like Alaphilippe before, van Aert, Evenepoel, Pogacar and Mathieu.”
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Do you dream of a duel between Mathieu and Pogacar in Liège?
”It would especially be great if other riders also dared to take matters into their own hands and not just observe, as they did at the Amstel Gold Race. Even if it means losing everything. When you are the leader of a team, you have to take responsibility. Point.”
What do you think of Tom Pidcock?
”I include him in the runners that I love. He runs his own race and doesn't care about anyone else. When he wins, he is the happiest of men and, if he does not win, he can say to himself that he tried. I don’t understand those who want to win but never try their luck.”
As a dad, what are you most proud of regarding Mathieu?
”About his way of life and his personality. He does everything for the job when it's time. But it leaves space for other things. After Liège, he will rest. I always told him: 'If you pin a bib, it's to try to win the race'. Over the years, he made up his own mind and made the right choices. For example: he is no longer afraid of using one race to prepare for another. In that, he is different from me. He runs his boat very well.”
Knowing that your son is already one of the greatest classics riders in history, how does that feel?
”The numbers don’t lie. He's incredible and that makes me very happy for him, because he's the one writing his own story. And I think that deep down, he would like to win the Doyenne and the Tour of Lombardy to reach another level. “Imagine that my son will one day have all five monuments to his name gives me goosebumps.”
Mathieu seems to be enjoying his fame very well. We always feel very relaxed…
”I think that’s the case. Mathieu is naturally relaxed. He doesn't ask himself a thousand questions. In addition, he is very well surrounded. He can rely on the Roodhooft brothers, very calm and composed people who have their feet firmly on the ground. They understand Mathieu very well and have immense trust in him. We see him with the new contract he has just signed (Editor’s note: until 2028). It was important for his stability to be able to count on people who continued to believe in him since he was 14.”
When did you understand that Mathieu could have a great career?
”When he was 6, 7 years old. The first person I told that he could become very strong was Patrick Lefevere. Today, he sometimes says to me: 'I regret not having moved at that time'.”
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Why did he start with cyclocross?
”I think that when you are young, it is more pleasant to do cyclo-cross, to ride in the mud, as if you were in the forest, than to do road cycling. It's a bit like driving through your garden. It’s less monotonous than the road.”
In addition, it is the best school to learn how to ride the bike…
”Yes, but Mathieu has always been very clever. He has that naturally. It was when he arrived in juniors and he made certain races against Mads Pedersen that we said to ourselves that he could perform in both.”
Pedersen and Wout contributed despite themselves to making Mathieu the champion he is today.
Speaking of cyclo-cross, what did the rivalry with Wout van Aert bring to Mathieu?
”It made him stronger. Because he found something to match with a cyclo-crossman who also wanted to win everything. Pedersen, on the road, and Wout contributed despite themselves to making Mathieu the champion he is today.”
What goes through your mind when you see spectators throwing beer at your son?
”They have nothing to do along the roads. Drinking does not excuse such behavior. But hey, I try not to argue. The sad thing is that this isn't new. The positive point is that since we film everything today, we can quickly identify the culprits. I hope this will lead to sanctions and make them think about their actions.”
If Mathieu wins on Sunday in Liège, will this victory be even more valuable than his successes at Ronde and Roubaix?
”Yes, because we’re not expecting him there. It was like me. Normally, the Dean was a little too difficult for me but I always approached her by telling myself that I had a chance. It smiled on me in 1988. If it could also smile on my son…”
Some people fear that cycling will become boring by seeing a rider crush the competition…
”It’s still much better than the time when we waited for the red flame to move. We’re not going to blame these guys for putting incredible intensity into the race or asking them to slow down!”
