It’s no secret that Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL’s approach to bike racing does not suit every rider. Over the past few years, the Dutch squad has often found itself in the headlines after departures of high-profile riders and comments from current and former pros that have painted a picture of a somewhat rigid team structure. Formerly known as Giant-Alpecin and Sunweb before DSM-Firmenich and PostNL came onboard as sponsors in the last three years, the team’s methods have undeniably brought impressive results, though it’s fair to say not everyone is compatible with the organisation’s culture.
The trend, however, seems to be that when things work for a rider at Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL, they really work. Romain Bardet, for example, returned to his Tour de France stage winning ways as part of the outfit. Young riders like Oscar Onley, Casper van Uden and Pavel Bittner are punching above their weight in WorldTour races. On the women’s side of the team, the likes of Pfeiffer Georgi and Charlotte Kool are taking victories as part of a well-drilled, tight-knit, perfect sprint lead-out train. It’s true that some don’t find what they’re looking for at Team DSM, but it has also become a conveyor belt for young talent which soars to the very top of the podium at an impressive speed.
One of the latest riders to come from the Team DSM-Firmenich goldmine of climbing stars is Scunthorpe-born Max Poole. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024, ending it with his first professional victory at the Tour of Langkawi a few weeks ago. Before that, Poole made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España and he wasted no time in making sure the cycling world would learn his name. There were no stage victories in the end, but Poole came agonisingly close with podium finishes on four occasions after long efforts in the breakaway. He puts much of this success down to being part of a team which works for him, proving his loyalties by signing with Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL until 2027.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
“The structure of the team, right from when I was on the development team, it really helps you to ensure you have everything in place. It gives you the best chance to just focus on the important stuff and become a better rider,” Poole says. “It obviously doesn't suit everybody which is fine but for me, it’s helped me become more drilled.”
The British rider adds that working with Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL coach, Matt Winston, has been imperative to his development on the team. Formerly a coach for British Cycling, Winston worked with the junior national team to four world titles and eight European medals during his eight-year stint at the organisation.
“I had a couple of options when I came out of juniors in terms of teams to go to. It felt right from the moment I spoke to Matt who is my personal coach now,” Poole explains. “For me, the big thing was that I could have some time on the development team and then make the jump to WorldTour as I knew it would take me a bit of time to get settled in. Having a little bit of time as an under-23 made the step up to the WorldTour the next year easier, I knew the team and had done some races with the WorldTour riders already.”
It’s clear that Winston has been a crucial part of Poole’s development in the sport so far: “Working with Matt is really easy. We can speak about anything whether it is bike related or not so I feel really comfortable around him which is the main thing. When I speak to him it’s comfortable and an honest conversation – that makes it easy to deal with things.”
It’s clear that Poole has enjoyed his first two years as part of the WorldTour, unafraid of the hard work and dedication he knows it takes to race at the highest level. He discusses growing up racing at his local track leagues which took place at Quibell Park velodrome in Scunthrope. Growing up in the north of England means Poole is no stranger to tough conditions and he remembers realising his dream of becoming a professional rider in his early teens, watching the likes of Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet on television, battling treacherous weather in races such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Image: Billy Ceusters/A.S.O.
“I’m not really a Classics rider at all now but I really liked watching those races growing up,” Poole says. “Now, I really just enjoy the process of going through the journey in training, seeing the improvements and then going to races to try and get results there. I think you have to enjoy it to be successful and seeing my progression is what I enjoy.”
Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL have ensured that Poole’s development has been steady. Despite it becoming more and more common for riders to win at a younger age in the WorldTour, the 21-year-old has his feet firmly on the ground, understanding that everyone’s rate of progression varies in the formative years of a cycling career.
“Now the sport is getting a lot younger, you have to realise it doesn’t quite work the same for everyone as it does for Remco, for example,” Poole says. “When you are making decisions as a junior, it’s a very personal thing and you shouldn’t get distracted. You have to try and be honest with yourself, do what’s best for you and what will give you the best chance.”
This approach that Poole describes is certainly paying dividends for him so far. He finished in the top-10 at the UAE Tour at the start of this season before crashing out of Tirreno-Adriatico a few weeks later. After being sidelined with injury until August, Poole returned to the peloton with a vengeance at the Vuelta a Burgos, finishing in second place on the general classification, just five seconds behind last year’s Vuelta a España winner, Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike.
“I think I made a step up because of the group I have around me on this team. You’re always working with Matt or the trainer and they have quite a small bubble working with them. I just had to focus on training and looking after myself,” Poole says. “When I came back to training after my crash, I worked really hard, when a crash like that happens, it kind of flicks a switch.”
Working with older and experienced riders such as Bardet was important to Poole when it came to racing his first Grand Tour this year. His multiple podium finishes on tough mountain stages were a testament to his determination and ability to handle the load of a three-week race.
“I think riding a Grand Tour is always something that you look up to doing as a kid, I remember watching the Tour de France on TV when I was a kid,” Poole says. “When I got to Madrid at the end of the Vuelta it was a really special feeling. Being on a team with Romain, I think the big thing is just seeing how he is outside the racing. It’s how he looks after himself on training camps and off the bike, that’s a lesson I’ve taken away from spending time with him.”
While he’s happy with his success so far, Poole also is self-critical, analysing stages of the Vuelta closely where he believes he could have done something differently in order to win. He talks about being “taught a lesson” on the brutal Lagos de Covadonga climb and how his team ensured he watched the stage back afterwards in order to see when mistakes were made.
“I am realising that small things I could have changed could make a big difference,” he comments.
This winter, it’s going to be all about continuing to learn for Poole. A victory in Langkawi to round out the season has given him a confidence boost, and his focus will be on consistent training with a view to riding his first Giro d’Italia in 2025. He’ll be doing it all at the place that suits him best: Team DSM-Firmenich-PostNL – the young Brit is one of the ones that the team is clearly helping to flourish.
“To keep seeing improvements is a big thing for me,” Poole states. “I have a lot of trust with the team and I want to keep getting better and better every year. I think they will help me to do that.”
Cover image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
