There was a time when Mathieu van der Poel believed that cycling had to come before everything. Every hour, every thought, every ounce of energy was devoted to the sport. It was the world he grew up in, the life he had built for himself, and for years it seemed like there was no room for anything else. But life has a way of shifting our perspective, and for van der Poel, that shift came in the form of Roxanne, the woman who quietly changed the rhythm of his world.
“Then Roxanne came into my life and reminded me there’s more beyond the finish line,” he says softly, his voice reflecting both gratitude and humility. For someone who had always measured success by seconds and results, she became a reminder that time spent living — not just racing — holds its own kind of victory. Roxanne, strong and independent in her own right, never tried to compete with the sport that consumes so much of his life. Instead, she brought balance, grounding him in ways he hadn’t realized he needed.
“She grounds me — keeps me human when the world around me only sees a rider, a result, a jersey,” he admits. It’s a rare confession from an athlete so often seen as invincible, unshaken by the chaos that follows a career at the highest level. To the outside world, van der Poel is a machine of endurance and power, a champion who thrives under pressure. But away from the podium, he is simply a man trying to navigate the delicate balance between ambition and connection.
Their relationship hasn’t always been perfectly aligned. “We don’t always see things the same way, especially when it comes to what’s next in life,” he shares. While fans speculate about marriage, family, and what comes after cycling, van der Poel and Roxanne take their time. She has her own dreams, her own sense of pace — and that’s something he deeply respects. “I respect her honesty. She wants to live fully, not just follow my rhythm,” he says. It’s a sentiment that speaks to maturity, to a kind of love that isn’t built on expectation but on understanding.
For Mathieu, learning to slow down has been one of the hardest lessons of all. The bike teaches movement — forward momentum, constant striving — but Roxanne teaches stillness, reflection, and the beauty of living in the present. Their connection isn’t about perfection or grand gestures; it’s about finding peace between two different worlds.
“And maybe that’s what love really is,” he concludes quietly, “learning that not everything has to race forward.” It’s a rare glimpse into the heart of a man whose life has been defined by speed — a reminder that even champions need to pause, breathe, and remember that sometimes, the most meaningful victories happen off the bike.
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