Mathieu Van der Poel

[Logic-is-your-friend]

There is no reason to finish 2 minutes ahead. He has a long season, CX, Road and mountainbike. No need to overdo it. He doesn't hold back in the final laps to avoid suspicion, but to conserve energy. Holding back the final lap would not make it less suspicious.

 

[glassmoon]

Re:

There is no reason to finish 2 minutes ahead. He has a long season, CX, Road and mountainbike. No need to overdo it. He doesn't hold back in the final laps to avoid suspicion, but to conserve energy. Holding back the final lap would not make it less suspicious.

truth

 

[Ripper]

Limitless energy.

Again, I know and understand all the arguments in favour of him being clean. Again, in general I'm not sure. But in a race like Ronde, crashing and chasing when he did, still throwing in digs, and then still sprinting well, is just a bit much.

 

[the delgados]

Re:

Limitless energy.

Again, I know and understand all the arguments in favour of him being clean. Again, in general I'm not sure. But in a race like Ronde, crashing and chasing when he did, still throwing in digs, and then still sprinting well, is just a bit much.

He personifies the term Platonic ideal (assuming he is clean as a whistle, which I highly doubt)
Lovely to watch with a grain of salt.

 

[armchairclimber]

Making world class riders look second rate must be cause for some concern. That was one of the most impressive/outlandish rides I have seen. In clinic terms that must be a red flag. He's hellish exciting to watch, I'll give him that.

 

[Ripper]

Re:

Making world class riders look second rate must be cause for some concern. That was one of the most impressive/outlandish rides I have seen. In clinic terms that must be a red flag. He's hellish exciting to watch, I'll give him that.

No doubting he is a fun rider to watch, classy, has a lot of passion, and seems nice too.

I just rewatched the footage and outlandish is a good term. Lots of fans getting all excited about how he might have been the strongest rider in the race/had the most impressive ride of the day. I honestly just find it a bit worrisome. To have finished 4th without the crash would have been hugely impressive. But a crash like that, happening that close to the finish, tends to completely scuttle one's chances. So his ability to warp speed it back to the group, attack that group repeatedly, and then get second in the field sprint, is pretty interesting.

 

[The Hegelian]

That was insane. I officially have a clinic eyebrow raised.

 

[Gung Ho Gun]

Re:

............anyone willing to stake very much on his father always being clean.................?

He was caught twice during his career and later exposed to have used EPO. Also, his team manager Roodthooft was caught in possession of doping (something light but then again, he wasn't exactly a high profile rider). So his entourage definitely casts shadows.

 

[gillan1969]

i didn't see all the coverage but the bit I did saw him well ensconsed behind a fast moving team car (with team mate - for the last bridge?) after his fall....

 

[wansteadimp]

Re:

i didn't see all the coverage but the bit I did saw him well ensconsed behind a fast moving team car (with team mate - for the last bridge?) after his fall....

Yep, with out delving into Pharma related discussions, the comeback was more reminiscent of Demare at MSR, Nibali at the Firenze Worlds or Nibali at the Vuelta .....

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

............anyone willing to stake very much on his father always being clean.................?

He was caught twice during his career and later exposed to have used EPO. Also, his team manager Roodthooft was caught in possession of doping (something light but then again, he wasn't exactly a high profile rider). So his entourage definitely casts shadows.

Jasus every rider over a certain age was not clean so that does not answer anything .just look around every team has previous doping DSs and managers
MVdP has amazing pedigree from his maternal grandfather and his father

 

[wansteadimp]

Re: Re:

............anyone willing to stake very much on his father always being clean.................?

He was caught twice during his career and later exposed to have used EPO. Also, his team manager Roodthooft was caught in possession of doping (something light but then again, he wasn't exactly a high profile rider). So his entourage definitely casts shadows.

Jasus every rider over a certain age was not clean so that does not answer anything .just look around every team has previous doping DSs and managers
MVdP has amazing pedigree from his maternal grandfather and his father

With those good responder genes how can he go wrong? /s

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

Jasus every rider over a certain age was not clean so that does not answer anything .just look around every team has previous doping DSs and managers
MVdP has amazing pedigree from his maternal grandfather and his father

Having a pedigree says nothing about whether he's doping. One can have a great pedigree and be either clean or doping. Having a great pedigree explains why you're in the game. It allows that you have gotten good advice and training, you've probably gotten good genetics, and you're an insider. It does not explain away incredible performances, nor does it mean one's insider status = doping.

It would tend to indicate easy access to doping methods and substances, but confirms nothing in this regard.

The notion that cleanliness was a bigger issue for those of "a certain age" strikes me as wishful thinking. I've been hearing that doping was something from the past for at least 35 years. It's possible, that things are better now. It's almost certain that top riders are still doping to get top results, particularly in stage races...but not limited to them.

 

[armchairclimber]

Personally, I thought he could be called the winner some 20k out ... which, given the calibre of his company at the time, seems insane. He never looked like being dropped.

 

[Ripper]

I think this will just get more and more entertaining.

And while he is an entertaining rider to watch, he seems to elicit a strong fanboy response. Which itself will also be entertaining.

 

[the delgados]

I think this will just get more and more entertaining.

And while he is an entertaining rider to watch, he seems to elicit a strong fanboy response. Which itself will also be entertaining.

Agreed. I am surprised by the amount of commenters who give him the benefit of the doubt. It really is mind boggling, especially when you consider the history of doping in cycling and the absolute dominance shown by MVDP. Good lord, man. This guy has to be on some next level schit.
I guess its fun to pretend.

 

[MartinGT]

I think this will just get more and more entertaining.

And while he is an entertaining rider to watch, he seems to elicit a strong fanboy response. Which itself will also be entertaining.

Agreed. I am surprised by the amount of commenters who give him the benefit of the doubt. It really is mind boggling, especially when you consider the history of doping in cycling and the absolute dominance shown by MVDP. Good lord, man. This guy has to be on some next level schit.
I guess its fun to pretend.

Your man, CK, Stephens etc. They all have mortgages etc to pay. They don't want to ostracise themselves. Him and Alaphillipe are certainly smashing it at the moment.

But, then you have to look at the pedigree of stock that MVDP has come from and compare it to someone like the Dawg.

 

[Robert5091]

Dawg ... pedigree ... ha ha! Good one.

 

[wansteadimp]

I think this will just get more and more entertaining.

And while he is an entertaining rider to watch, he seems to elicit a strong fanboy response. Which itself will also be entertaining.

Agreed. I am surprised by the amount of commenters who give him the benefit of the doubt. It really is mind boggling, especially when you consider the history of doping in cycling and the absolute dominance shown by MVDP. Good lord, man. This guy has to be on some next level schit.
I guess its fun to pretend.

Your man, CK, Stephens etc. They all have mortgages etc to pay. They don't want to ostracise themselves. Him and Alaphillipe are certainly smashing it at the moment.

But, then you have to look at the pedigree of stock that MVDP has come from and compare it to someone like the Dawg.

Commenters (us) not commentators (useless morons)

 

[the delgados]

I think this will just get more and more entertaining.

And while he is an entertaining rider to watch, he seems to elicit a strong fanboy response. Which itself will also be entertaining.

Agreed. I am surprised by the amount of commenters who give him the benefit of the doubt. It really is mind boggling, especially when you consider the history of doping in cycling and the absolute dominance shown by MVDP. Good lord, man. This guy has to be on some next level schit.
I guess its fun to pretend.

Your man, CK, Stephens etc. They all have mortgages etc to pay. They don't want to ostracise themselves. Him and Alaphillipe are certainly smashing it at the moment.

But, then you have to look at the pedigree of stock that MVDP has come from and compare it to someone like the Dawg.

Commenters (us) not commentators (useless morons)

Hey, hey! No bashing my man CK!
Thank you for pointing out the difference; but for the love of everything holy, leave my man out of this.
Carry on.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well, i have to agree his efforts in RVV do seem "outlandish". But, unlike Van Aert in PR (who paid the price for his chase in the final 15k yet until then looked like the strongest rider in the race), van der Poel did have actual help from his team in the chase, and the tempo in the front group wasn't "full gas" the entire time.

However, RVV was 275k long. So it seems almost too good to be true. Usually any unneeded waste of energy in such a race will cost you.

On the other hand, like i stated earlier, he's been like this since he was a kid. Was he doping age 12 and up? When exactly would he have started? He wins 32 CX races a year, is now winning high profile RR as well. He rides MTB as well. There won't be many riders that get tested as much as him.

If there is something there, there is no way Adrie isn't in on it. As a father, i don't know how you could do that (being a former rider and doper), knowing that at some point in the future, chances are it will come to light, and that you have put your child in an impossible position. And again, wouldn't you race in a less conspicuous manner?

I don't know. I'm still onboard with him being clean. On the other hand, i've been following the sport too long to be surprised anymore.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Showing Sky how a train really works. Put the Engine on the front, carriages behind, take back over a minute in 7 kms. Choo choo

 

[Ripper]

It's hard for me to be on the fence about this now.

 

[Ripper]

Re:

alien life confirmed on earth................

That was a pretty hilarious sprint. Drag the group along at speed, open up from afar without any leadout, gap everyone. When everyone starts saying some form of "that was unbelievable" I tend to agree. It's a bit too bad.

 

[therealthing]

Re: Re:

alien life confirmed on earth................

That was a pretty hilarious sprint. Drag the group along at speed, open up from afar without any leadout, gap everyone. When everyone starts saying some form of "that was unbelievable" I tend to agree. It's a bit too bad.

All after putting in an attack with 50km to go. I've seen enough now from him to come to a solid conclusion about his performances. This guy is on a completely different, extra terrestrial level compared to everyone else.