Mathieu van der Poel finished third at the opening stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, expressing mixed feelings about his performance. Despite a recent wrist fracture hampering his training, he demonstrated potential by keeping pace with top riders like Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard in the final climb. Van der Poel acknowledged missing his explosive finishing speed due to inadequate training, resulting in his disappointment. However, he remains optimistic about regaining his peak performance, showcasing resilience against strong competition.
I just didn't have the legs any more, like I said before the race, I could not train in the last weeks.
I really felt I was on the limit over the top of the climb, and I hoped my legs would recover a bit for the final sprint, but that was not the case.
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