Yellow jersey aside, what kit is Mathieu van der Poel using at the Tour de France?
We dive into the Dutchman's kit list, including his Abus helmet, Shimano shoes and special edition Oakley sunglasses
Mathieu van der Poel reminds me of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Stick with me, Cyclingnews readers, I'll explain.
Ronaldo transformed himself from a dazzling winger, with a penchant for stepovers and tricks over the final result, into an all-time great with an incredible goal-scoring record.
Mathieu van der Poel has never favoured style over substance. But the crazy long-range attacks are gone. When he's in form and has targeted a race, the current leader of this year's Tour de France is lethal, with the power and confidence to deliver, almost every time.
He rode at his limit over the punchy climbs at the end of Stage 2, and this is the impressive bit, then confidently sat on the front around the final right-hand bend at the finish before delivering his sprint to win the stage.
He was confident no one would be able to come around him if he led it out. He pushed a bigger gear than Tadej Pogačar and smoked the best riders in the world.
He then followed up that performance with another exceptional ride today during stage 4, following the world's best climbers, this time just losing out to world champion Tadej Pogačar, but doing enough to pip Vingegaard to the line and retain the yellow jersey.
The Dutchman's bike and equipment have been fairly constant for years. Nothing much seems to change at Alpecin-Deceuninck equipment-wise, bar a fairly recent tyre change from Vittoria to Pirelli.
His kit and equipment combine for an overall look that just works. It somehow all feels very familiar; there aren't any insane bits of kit generally (unless you count a very expensive watch), it's all function, high-end stuff that helps him deliver.
For a bit of distraction from the Prime Day deals hunt, I've run through the Dutchman's kit and equipment for a look at what he uses, and how much it would cost if you wanted to replicate it yourself.
No, it won't help you win a Tour stage, but it is all top-end equipment that could provide an advantage, and by a stroke of Prime Day coincidence, some of it is discounted right now, including, surprisingly, the Dutchman's signature Oakleys.
Head to our Amazon Prime Day Live hub and Prime Day bike deals page for a roundup of all the best deals around.
Mathieu van der Poel's equipment
These are the exact Oakley sunglasses the yellow jersey wearer started the stage in this morning.
These vented Sutro Lite Sweeps with 24K Oakley Prizm lenses even have an 'MVDP' embossed on the front of the lens.
The gold and white colourway looks really classy if you ask us. These could end up as a collector's item.
He isn't wearing them at this year's race yet, but Van der Poel has also favoured the Oakley Sutro Lite regularly for various races.
This particular model is available in a range of options with a nearly 30% discount.
Mathieu van der Poel tends to race in the original Abus GameChanger helmet, preferring it over the newer 2.0 model for the way it interfaces with his choice of sunglasses; he just prefers it, and the minimal aerodynamic difference found in the team's testing means he's free to make that choice.
It currently has a 10% discount on Amazon in the same white colour, who said Tour-winning kit had to be brand new?!
UK deals
These are the exact sunglasses the yellow jersey wearer started the stage in this morning. They aren't discounted currently but are just very cool MVDP edition glasses, and the price isn't bad for a pair of Oakleys with Prizm lenses anyway.
These Sutro Lite Sweeps with 24K Oakley Prizm lenses even have an 'MVDP' embossed on the front of the lens. Which could make them a rare item in the years to come.
He isn't wearing them at this year's race, but Van der Poel has also favoured the Oakley Sutro Lite regularly. This particular model is available in a range of options with a nearly 30% discount. These are also very good glasses for all kinds of cycling.
Mathieu van der Poel tends to race in the Abus GameChanger helmet, preferring it over the newer 2.0 model for the way it interfaces with his choice of glasses and fit.
There is a lot of variance in price for this model in the UK, depending on colour and size. In a size small, and white colour, it's nearly the cheapest it's been on Amazon.
Check through the different colours, there are a lot of discounted options.
The Shimano RC903 S-Phyre shoe is Van der Poel's weapon of choice, though he gets special custom ones with his initials on them.
The white version of the shoes has 19% off in the Sigma Sport sale right now. This is a flagship, high-end shoe that's available for quite a lot less cash than some other premium models right now.
You may also be able to add a further discount code at checkout for a bigger saving. There's also free delivery with a spend of over £60.
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
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