Adri van der Poel, born on June 17, 1959, in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands, is a retired Dutch professional cyclist who competed from 1981 to 2000.
He is renowned for his versatility across road racing and cyclo-cross disciplines, achieving significant success in both during his two-decade career.
As the son-in-law of French cycling legend Raymond Poulidor through his marriage to Poulidor’s daughter Corinne, van der Poel comes from a lineage steeped in the sport.
Today, he is perhaps best known as the father of elite cyclist Mathieu van der Poel, but his own accomplishments established him as a formidable competitor in his era.
Siblings
Adri has one sibling, a brother named Jacques.
Jacques pursued a professional cycling career from 1986 to 1992, overlapping with Adri’s tenure in the sport and even serving as his teammate for several seasons, though he achieved fewer notable victories.
Also Read: Mathieu van der Poel Siblings: Meet David van der Poel
Career
Van der Poel’s professional journey began on the road, where he quickly made an impact by securing second place in Paris–Nice and La Flèche Wallonne during his debut season.
He excelled in classics, amassing six major victories, including the Tour of Flanders in 1986, Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 1987 or 1988, Amstel Gold Race in 1990, Clásica San Sebastián in 1985, and Züri-Metzgete in 1982.
He also claimed two stages in the Tour de France and earned a silver medal at the 1983 World Road Championships behind Greg LeMond.
Transitioning toward cyclo-cross in the later stages of his career, he competed during winters and eventually focused full-time on the discipline, dominating with consistent high placements.
His career concluded after the 2000 Cyclo-Cross World Championships, where he finished fourth.
Accolades
Among Adri’s standout accolades are his 1996 World Cyclo-Cross Championship title, along with victories in the 1997 World Cup and Superprestige classifications in cyclo-cross.
He secured five silver medals in the World Cyclo-Cross Championships from 1985 and 1988 to 1991, and six Dutch national cyclo-cross titles between 1989 and 1999.
On the road, his six classics wins and Tour de France stage victories highlight his prowess, with the Grand Prix Adrie van der Poel cyclo-cross event in Hoogerheide named in his honor in 1999.
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