Mathieu van der Poel has expressed concern about the increase in the number of riders in the Tour de France peloton, which will rise from 176 to 184 participants in 2025 following the UCI's decision to add a 23rd team to all Grand Tours.

During the pre-Tour press conference, while the debate about safety in the peloton continues to rage, Van der Poel shared his opinion that not much will change, I think the peloton will always be dangerous, whether something is added or not. The main problem is the behavior of the riders themselves, which is normal since everyone is fighting for the same positions and there is not enough space"

The Dutch champion then added: "This is something that will never disappear from cycling, but maybe making the peloton even bigger is a mistake . Fewer teams and fewer riders would make the biggest difference in my opinion."

Adam Hansen, president of the CPA (riders' union), defended the decision, explaining that the increase is manageable because the added team is a ProTeam, with a different role in the peloton than the WorldTour teams. He also stressed that the experience of the 2025 Giro d'Italia, already held with 184 riders, did not highlight any particular problems.

With the first 10 stages of the 2025 Tour looking set to be particularly chaotic and tense , Van der Poel's concerns may find further support, but only the unfolding of the race will tell whether the UCI, PCC and CPA have made the right decision.