What Happens When Mathieu van der Poel Shows Up to a Group Ride

Nobody believed it — until MVDP actually showed up. This is the full story of the day Mathieu van der Poel joined the Pandas Ponies group ride in Los Angeles — a moment the entire SoCal cycling scene is still talking about. For a week, the rumor floated around: Mathieu van der Poel was coming to Pandas Ponies, the A+ LA group ride. Most didn't believe it… but on October 1st, 2025, the rumor came true — and it turned an ordinary Wednesday into cycling folklore. In this video, I take you behind the scenes of what it was like to ride with the former World Champion: from the rumors and anticipation to the moment he rolled up, the energy on the road, and the reminder of why we all love this sport. If you were there, you’ll never forget it. And if you weren’t — this is what it felt like. 📬 Contact: chris@outdoorbros.com 🌐 Website: www.outdoorbros.com (new gear added weekly) ⚡Powered By: www.holaadios.com Gear I’m Riding and Into ↓↓↓ Favorite Road Tires: Pirelli Race TLR https://amzn.to/49jhn7i Classic Tires: Continental GP5000 S TR https://amzn.to/3ZdCD9Q Gravel Tires: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M https://amzn.to/4ghsTCj Sealant: Orange Sealed https://amzn.to/3ZjIOt9 Road Race Bike: Specialized Tarmac SL8 https://geni.us/dD4d Gravel Bike: Specialized Crux https://geni.us/USRdxh MTB Bike: Epic 8 https://geni.us/1APpjc OSPW: CeramicSpeed OSPW RS https://amzn.to/4eVD8v6 All-Around Helmet: Kask Protone Icon https://amzn.to/4f0y093 Road Helmet: Specialized Evade 3 https://geni.us/ReXn7 Road Shoes: Specialized Torch https://geni.us/ALhUC Gravel/MTB Shoes: Recon Lace https://geni.us/tzba Computer: Wahoo ELMNT Bolt https://amzn.to/45VERgm Saddle: Pro Stealth https://amzn.to/3sVd9S7 Chain Lube: CeramicSpeed UFO Drip https://amzn.to/3B19Opd Road Wheels: Enve SES 4.5 https://geni.us/yy3ao Gravel Wheels: Reserve 40|44 https://geni.us/1iKt6Z Valves: Fillmore Valves https://geni.us/uQQTZ6 Nutrition ↓↓↓ Everyday Workout Drink Mix: https://amzn.to/3VpgrZo Everyday Recovery Protein: https://amzn.to/41bJqU9 Everyday Oats: https://amzn.to/3CTW0x4 Creatine Monohydrate: https://amzn.to/4gfyhpF Camera Equipment ↓↓↓ Camera: Sony A7RV https://amzn.to/3BdfPPs Lens: Sony 16-35 f/2.8 GMII https://amzn.to/49oGBBk Microphone: DJI Mic 2 https://amzn.to/4g2ik6r Tripod: Mactrem https://amzn.to/49oGBBk *Some of these are affiliate links with a small commission. 0:00 – Intro / The Rumor 0:10 – How It Started 0:39 – The Email That Changed Everything 0:53 – 4am Drive to Los Angeles 1:27 – Why This Never Happens in LA 2:10 – MVDP’s Arrival 3:11 – What He’s Really Like 3:48 – Why This Ride Was Different 4:12 – October 1st: MVDP Day in LA #MathieuVanDerPoel #CyclingLife #GroupRide