Team Sky (2015–19)

In September 2014, Team Sky announced that Poels would join them from 1 January 2015.^[8] His first win for the team came in the 2015 Tirreno–Adriatico, where he led the team following the withdrawal of Chris Froome. Poels won stage 4 into Castelraimondo with an attack on the final climb and a solo descent to the finish line. He moved into the lead of the race and went on to finish seventh in the overall standings.^[9][10] He later finished second overall at the Tour of Britain, winning the toughest mountain stage with an uphill finish on Hartside Fell.

In 2016, Poels won his first one-day race after sprinting to victory from a four-man group in Liège–Bastogne–Liège. It was the first monument for Team Sky and for Poels himself.^[11][12]

Bahrain–McLaren (2020–present)

In September 2019, Poels announced that he was joining the Bahrain–Merida team, later renamed as Bahrain–McLaren, for the 2020 season.^[3] In his first season with the team, Poels finished sixth overall at the Vuelta a España.^[13] The following year, he held the polka-dot jersey for four days at the 2021 Tour de France, and recorded his best finish at the race to that point – sixteenth overall. In 2022, Poels won the penultimate stage and the general classification at the Vuelta a Andalucía,^[14][15] his first overall stage race win since 2016.^[16] Poels then won his first Tour de France stage in 2023; having been part of a large breakaway on stage fifteen, Poels and three other riders went clear following the Col des Aravis, with Poels soloing away on the final climb towards Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and he ultimately won the stage by more than two minutes.^[17][18]

General classification results timeline

Poels leading a group of riders at the 2018 Giro d'Italia; he finished twelfth overall, his best finish at the race.

Grand Tour general classification results
Grand Tour	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Giro d'Italia	—	—	—	21	—	—	—	12	—	—	—	34	—
Tour de France	DNF	DNF	28	—	44	28	—	58	26	110	16	—	27
Vuelta a España	17	—	DNF	38	—	—	6	—	34	6	23	DNF	15
Major stage race general classification results
Stage races	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Paris–Nice	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	—	15	27
Tirreno–Adriatico	18	8	10	38	7	14	—	—	7	—	—	—	—
Volta a Catalunya	—	—	—	—	24	34	—	—	—	NH	79	DNF	29
Tour of the Basque Country	39	17	9	10	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—
/ Tour de Romandie	—	—	DNF	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—
Critérium du Dauphiné	—	—	57	—	39	25	—	—	4	—	—	—	—
Tour de Suisse	25	15	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	NH	31	—	—