'Now the real racing can start' - Mathieu van der Poel ready for 'hectic' day as Tour de France hits the cobbles

Mathieu van der Poel is predicting a «nervous and hectic» day as the Tour de France returns to the famous cobbles for a stage described as a «small Paris-Roubaix». For the first time since 2018, the Tour peloton will be forced to negotiate significant sections of pavé on Stage 5, with a 157km route from Lille to Arenberg including 11 distinct cobbled sections. Ad/> It will provide a major early test of potential General Classification contenders, many of whom have not raced Paris-Roubaix and are thus unproven on the cobbles.

Tour de FranceOpinion: Every second counts as Van Aert proves himself a cut above the rest13 HOURS AGO Van der Poel, however, will shape as a likely contender for the stage — the Dutchman finished third on debut at Paris-Roubaix in 2021 and is one of the finest bike-handlers in the race. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider has been notably subdued during the opening four stages of the Tour, with suggestions he may have been saving himself for a prominent role on the pavé. «I think now the real racing can start,» Van der Poel said ahead of Stage 5.

«It's just a really small Paris-Roubaix. It's not a lot of sections here but for sure it's like every time they'll run up into the section is going to be more nervous than the sections itself. »I think it's just going to be really nervous.