WHOOP Podcast How To Build Endurance with 8-Time Cyclocross World Champion, Mathieu van der Poel
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Feb 11, 2026 Mathieu van der Poel, an eight-time cyclocross world champion and multi-discipline cycling superstar. He talks about training across cyclocross, road and mountain biking. He covers recovery habits, WHOOP metrics, handling consecutive hard days and overcoming illness. He also discusses race tactics, strength work, fueling, and the role of rivalries and team continuity in sustaining a long career.
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Use Nighttime Routines To Boost Sleep
- Read before bed and take magnesium to fall asleep faster and relax muscles.
- Mathieu uses magnesium and nighttime reading and sees improvements in Whoop recovery.
Caffeine Raises Performance And Pain Tolerance
- Caffeine boosts both alertness and pain tolerance, making it doubly useful in long, painful races.
- Mathieu uses coffee and caffeine gels to wake the body during multi-day fatigue.
Use Audio To Endure Long Sessions
- Use music or podcasts to make long training sessions more tolerable.
- Mathieu listens to podcasts or hardcore music in training to pass time and push through intervals.