When someone wins as much as Mathieu van der Poel does, it can be easy to forget just how much those wins still mean. To see the deeper emotions beyond the celebration at the line. For a rider like van der Poel, who has won seemingly at will and, with generations of iconic cyclists in his family, seemed destined to do so since, as he says “almost before I could walk,” this is no less true.

For This is Home, Shimano taps into those emotions. This isn’t an MTV Cribs surface-level look at fancy cars, a lot of trophies and a really long highlights reel. This is “home” in the the deeper sense, a home that is a life on bikes.

That life goes far beyond being born talented. As van der Poel gets into in This is Home, talent is not enough in the current generation of super-star cyclists that are re-defining the sport.

Mathieu von der Poel with his collection of pet rocks. Wait, no… Photo: Sterling Lorence 
From dirt to rainbows and … back to dirt?

All of this come though the lenses of Squamish, B.C. media house, Anthill Films and iconic North Vancouver photographer Sterling Lorence. Despite their out sized rolls in documenting mountain biking over the last 25-plus years, squeezing a bit of dirt into This is Home isn’t forced. Though there are a few more gratuitous slow-mo shots than you might expect a few days before Paris-Roubaix.

“It’s no secret that becoming mountain bike world champion is maybe now the highest thing on my list.”

Hmmm, maybe the slow-mo isn’t gratuitous? Maybe this is van der Poel teasing a more serious return to mountain biking after years of just sort of dipping a toe in as world championships approach? The closing quote certainly seems like a hint.

Paris-Roubaix looms

Because of course, a historic fourth consecutive Paris-Roubaix this weekend is also on the list. To do that, he’ll have to combine something never done before with something he’s yet to do this year. The Dutch star is up against a seemingly unstoppable Tadej Pogacar and has yet to get the better of the Slovenian in 2026.

Anyway, dive in: This is Home visits Mathieu van der Poel.

This is home: Mathieu van der Poel

What’s Shimano say about Mathieu van der Poel’s This is Home 

Ahead of Mathieu’s bid to become the first rider ever to win four consecutive Paris-Roubaix titles, SHIMANO releases “This is Home,” a new short film featuring Mathieu van der Poel, offering unprecedented access and a rare glimpse into the landscapes and daily rituals that continue to shape one of cycling’s most compelling athletes.

Mathieu van der Poel between Monuments. Photo: sterling Lorence

Known for redefining modern racing across road, cyclocross, and mountain bike disciplines, Van der Poel has built a career on explosive performances and instinctive riding. Yet “This is Home” shifts the focus away from podiums and toward something more elemental: the routes that quietly support elite performance.

Filmed on familiar training terrains he calls home around Antwerp and Moraira. The film captures Van
der Poel riding through the landscapes that have shaped his career, enjoying downtime with his girlfriend, Roxanne Bertels, and their dog, Lola. This is where his generational talent finds the comfort and support needed to achieve mastery. These are the roads where preparation happens. The steady miles, the repeated climbs, the rhythm of a rider returning again and again to the same places in pursuit of mastery.

A proud father and a crowded trophy case. Photo: Sterling Lorence

A Generational Talent
Born into one of cycling’s most storied bloodlines, Van der Poel grew up with the sport woven into everyday life. His grandfather, Raymond Poulidor, embodied resilience. His father, Adri van der Poel, epitomized discipline. But legacy is not destiny, it is responsibility.

From a young age, Mathieu showed the ability to make racing feel unscripted. In cyclocross, he dominated the Cyclocross World Championships with an almost playful authority. Mud became momentum. Obstacles became invitations.

On the road, he evolved again. Monument victories at races like Paris-Roubaix confirmed his status not just as a crossover talent, but as a defining rider of his era. At the Tour de France, he animated stages with fearless intent. Racing on instinct, but never without control.