Merci Mathieu! A young fan reaches out to his hero
Merci Mathieu! A young fan reaches out to his hero
A young boy named Raphaël, the proud new owner of the Alpecin-Fenix bottle that belonged to Mathieu van der Poel, would like to thank his hero.
I’m not crying, you are… 🥺🥺
— Bas Tietema (@BasTietema) July 4, 2021
Let’s help this little guy! Let’s get #MerciMathieu trending! #TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/3t5BAKZzBl
One of the enduring scenes of stage 8 was the moment yellow jersey-wearer Van der Poel handed one of his bidons to Raphaël towards the end of the stage. Video footage captured by Bas Tietema showed the awe and gratitude felt by the young fan, who will treasure his unforgettable souvenir and the memory that goes with it.
This is waaaay too good not to share again. ️ #TDF2021@BasTietema pic.twitter.com/IjhJgSOwr5
— CyclingTips (@cyclingtips) July 3, 2021
Raphaël and his father Francois chose a good day to watch the Tour de France, not least because it was the last stage for Van der Poel. After putting on a spectacular show at his first ever Tour, the Dutch talent chose not to start stage 9, opting instead to begin his final preparation for the Olympics.
Read MoreIt all starts with a dream Had an amazing 6 days wearing the yellow jersey, thank you for all your support!
— Mathieu Van der Poel (@mathieuvdpoel) July 3, 2021
Josse Wester pic.twitter.com/Wa1dakafoG