Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who is wearing the yellow leader's jersey at the Tour de France, has received strong criticism from thumbs-up fans after announcing a partnership with a private jet company.
The 30-year-old Dutch cycling ace announced his partnership with private jet company Flying Group just before the Tour. In a short post, he wrote: "I'm delighted to share the news that I'm an ambassador for Flying Group - proud to represent a company that is taking private aviation to the next level."
Fans were quick to criticize the post, which has now attracted nearly 2,000 comments, most of them negative. The comments focused on the environmental impact of private jet travel, especially at a time when many race organizers and teams - including Tour organizer ASO - are trying to reduce emissions.
Van der Poel responded to criticism, which included comments such as "Take the train, man, and lead by example," "Really disappointing," and "Do you think climate change is a joke?" with a new comment under his post. Explaining his decision to partner with the Antwerp-based company, which has a fleet of 18 private jets, he wrote that private jet travel is necessary to "protect my time, health, and peace of mind" as a top athlete.
"I have seen the reactions and want to be open about my collaboration with Flying Group as a partner committed to sustainability. I understand the environmental concerns and respect everyone's opinion," van der Poel wrote. "At the same time, how I travel is important for my sport and career. I work very hard every day to achieve the best result, and that means making choices that protect my time, health and mental well-being. Flying in a calmer atmosphere, with less stress and exposure, helps me stay focused and healthy."
Van der Poel stressed that this collaboration is not about luxury, but about performance, recovery and support, which will help him always give 100%. "This collaboration is not about luxury, but about performance, recovery and support - so that I can give my best in every race," he noted. "I always try to make responsible choices where possible, but I still stand by my commitment to my goals. I thank those who understand that."
It is not known how often van der Poel uses private jets, but just two flights a year would mean his carbon emissions would rise above the global average and almost as large as the annual carbon footprint of the average Dutch citizen.
A recent study showed that the average private jet trip in 2023 generated 3.6 tons of CO2 emissions. For comparison: the average Dutch citizen's CO2 emissions in 2024 were 6.6 tons. The European Union average was 5.6 tons and the global average was 4.7 tons.
According to 2023 data, a private flight produced an average of 4.19 kg of CO2 per kilometer. For example, flying from Antwerp to Alicante would produce at least 6.29 tons of CO2 emissions - a whopping 4,559% more than a passenger traveling the same distance on a commercial flight (0.135 tons).
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