What does it take to win monuments, wear the yellow jersey, become a cyclocross world champion, and raise one of the greatest cyclists of all time? Adrie van der Poel does it all. In this episode, inGamba's James Startt sits down with the cycling legend for a wide-ranging conversation that covers nearly 20 years of professional racing, the tactical sprint that shocked Sean Kelly at the 1986 Tour of Flanders, the yellow jersey he wore for a single unforgettable day, and how he spotted Mathieu van der Poel's talent before the boy could even reach the pedals.

Adrie is one of inGamba's most beloved special trip leaders — and this episode is a preview of the kind of storytelling you get when you ride alongside him.

What We Cover in This Episode

Nearly 20 years as a top pro — the secret to longevity Adrie's answer is disarmingly simple: he just loved riding his bike. When the big classics became too hard in his mid-30s, he found new goals in smaller races and cyclocross rather than walking away. He draws a parallel to Greg Van Avermaet, who retired when he knew Flanders would never come again — a very different kind of story.

Mathieu van der Poel — the moment Adrie knew The story starts before Mathieu could even ride without training wheels. His school teacher called Adrie to ask why he still had them on — because Mathieu had been riding every other kid's bike in the schoolyard without them. "When he was five, I started doing some small races in the region and you saw a certain drive. How he got on the bike, got off the bike, changing gears — you only had to explain it once. He was just a total natural." But Adrie is clear: talent was only the beginning.

Why cyclocross produces great road riders: Asked about the pipeline from cross to road (ahem, Wout van Aert, Mathieu, Tom Pidcock) Adrie's take is characteristically direct: "They have a lot of talent. And later on they discovered they were very good on the road. But it all starts with talent. And then: try to enjoy your work. That's the only thing that matters."

Flanders vs. Roubaix — which is more special? Despite winning Flanders, Adrie's most cherished race is Paris–Roubaix. His reasoning mirrors what Tom Boonen told him: Flanders shares roads and climbs with a dozen other spring races, but the Roubaix cobbles are opened just once a year. "The cobbles at Roubaix — they didn't put them in the ground on their knees. They dropped them from an airplane. That's it."

Still a kid on new bike day: Even now, riding 10,000 kilometers a year, Adrie puts a new bike in the bedroom and stares at it. "I enjoy a new bike like I was 10 years old."

This season, Adrie van der Poel is part of our inGamba trips to Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris–Roubaix — and the stories you'll hear on the road make this podcast episode sound like a warm-up act. Sign up for one of our 2027 trips now so you don’t miss your chance! ingamba.pro

Cycling Conversations with inGamba is produced by inGamba. Hosted by Molly Hurford. Creative direction by James Startt. Visit ingamba.pro to join the next trip.