'That was not the plan' - Mathieu Van der Poel flies to 174km solo victory in final World Championships tune-up

Former world champion Mathieu van der Poel demonstrated his exceptional form ahead of the upcoming World Championships with a remarkable long solo breakaway on the final stage of the Tour of Luxembourg. The Dutch cyclist, who had taken a different approach to his fitness preparation compared to many of his rivals, outpaced the peloton on the 177km stage five, leaving the main group behind by over a minute.

Van der Poel's dominance extended over 174km, making it one of the longest successful solo breakaways in professional cycling history. Despite his belief that the upcoming World Championships course would be challenging, the champion remains confident, acknowledging that tactics could play a significant role due to the smaller squad sizes and communication challenges at the World Championships.

After securing his solo victory, Van der Poel expressed that "that was not the plan before the start," emphasizing his determination to maintain his high tempo throughout the race.