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Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

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Re: Re:

OnTheRivet said:
Yes, because in the TDF and the classics, he will face bigger opposition. He's fast like Van Avermaet, Naesen, Stybar, Alaphilippe... are fast. He isn't fast like Degenkolb, Kristoff, vd Poel...

MvDP isn't fast he's got great 30 second power at the end of a hard race. In a straight two up drag race he'd lose to Kristoff and Dege. MvDP isn't even the fastest sprinter/cyclocrosser on Correndon, Merlier would clean his clock every time.

Maybe (maybe!) Merlier's top speed in a clean sprint is a bit faster than MVD, as lately, he seems to be not far off the speed of Jakobsen. But after any race of more than 200k, i'm still rather confident that MVD would show Merlier his rear.

And yes, Mathieu is faster than van Aert. I do think however, van Aert is very clever and good at positioning, which also showed in the Dauphiné.
 
Poulidor had a chat with van Aert, and he says he knows him well, that van Aert is a very polite and friendly guy. He congratulated van Aert on his achievements in the TDF on which van Aert jokingly replied being lucky Mathieu isn't there. Poulidor told van Aert "you are just as strong" (aussi fort). He was impressed by van Aert's spring season as well.
 
Well duh, there is no doubt that Van Aert is physically as strong if not slightly stronger than Van der Poel (to me).

Van der Poel has the advantage of greater initial acceleration and, in CX, being technically a bit better as well. In a TT on straight roads Van Aert would beat him though (also because Vd Poel didn't work on a TT position, but he also simply has a bit less raw power)
 
I just reported what Poulidor said to WVA, not my words. And in the context, he wasn't talking about who was "stronger" in lifting weights. I think it's nice that there is so much mutual respect between them (/their families), even though they have been each others biggest rivals for the past 8 or so years. Eventhough i can only assume Poulidor was also just being polite.

I think it's also interesting that the past few months have shown just how much they are both different riders (both in terms of strengths/weaknesses, as in terms of character. Something i've always stressed, regardless of their CX origins.

Poulidor compared Mathieu to Alaphilippe, by the way. I think it's probably somewhere between Alaphilippe and Sagan. While i'd say van Aert is more like a crossing between Boonen and Cancellara.
 
Re:

Wvv said:
Wowt van Aertist

Amazing debut, indeed considering all the work he has done for teammates as well. He'll be up there in the TT too with his Belgian jersey, however winning would be another stunt with a guy like Dennis around.

But Dennis has not impressed this year. On the other hand he is not lifting a finger in the race, it seems, so I really hope he will not win.

I also had Schachmann as a potential winner of the TT but his form does not seem to be very good.
 
Re: Re:

tobydawq said:
Wvv said:
Wowt van Aertist

Amazing debut, indeed considering all the work he has done for teammates as well. He'll be up there in the TT too with his Belgian jersey, however winning would be another stunt with a guy like Dennis around.

But Dennis has not impressed this year. On the other hand he is not lifting a finger in the race, it seems, so I really hope he will not win.

I also had Schachmann as a potential winner of the TT but his form does not seem to be very good.
Yeah, I also find myself actitively rooting against riders who does nothing all race apart from the time trials. Its annoying, but Wout and Thomas will put up a good fight. I cannot bellieve Asgreen will contend given the huuuuge amount of work he has been putting in, but maybe they will rest him the day before. Then agian, they will have the yellow jersey to defend and Mas.
 
Re: Re:

Logic-is-your-friend said:
Flamin said:
@LIYF, do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

What a guy. Two stages, an ITT and a bunch sprint(!), in his first big stage race. WTF.

Yes, because in the TDF and the classics, he will face bigger opposition. He's fast like Van Avermaet, Naesen, Stybar, Alaphilippe... are fast. He isn't fast like Degenkolb, Kristoff, vd Poel... Let alone Groenewegen, Gaviria, Viviani or Jakobsen...

Today he didn't win because he was faster than Bennett, but because circumstances put Bennett in a bad position. And frankly, there is no other real competition. I think, hadn't Hagen attacked in the final K, that Wout would have finished behind him as well.

Do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

(couldn't let this one slip :p)
 
Re: Re:

Flamin said:
Logic-is-your-friend said:
Flamin said:
@LIYF, do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

What a guy. Two stages, an ITT and a bunch sprint(!), in his first big stage race. WTF.

Yes, because in the TDF and the classics, he will face bigger opposition. He's fast like Van Avermaet, Naesen, Stybar, Alaphilippe... are fast. He isn't fast like Degenkolb, Kristoff, vd Poel... Let alone Groenewegen, Gaviria, Viviani or Jakobsen...

Today he didn't win because he was faster than Bennett, but because circumstances put Bennett in a bad position. And frankly, there is no other real competition. I think, hadn't Hagen attacked in the final K, that Wout would have finished behind him as well.

Do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

(couldn't let this one slip :p)

I had already considered replying to my own post, but didn't go through with it. I was expecting your post.

Anyway... strong sprint. I'm glad, happy for him. Though there are circumstances to consider. The speed of the leadout was slow. Which made going from far, the best choice (little advantage of slipstreaming, and the longer you wait, the shorter the distance to get up to top speed). By doing so, he effectively blocked Sagan to come out on his side. Wout was the strongest, but i stand by my previous assessment that he isn't "fast" like the guys he beat.

I honestly think Wout is just "more fresh" than guys like Viviani and Ewan. Because he doesn't suffer as much on the climbs and after 9 days of racing. I think he won this on strength and freshness, not topspeed.

Anyway, big fan of him, i'm glad.
 
Perfect stage for WvA with the wind and how the final played out etc etc, like LIYF said.
Still, you have to play it perfectly, like WvA did.
He won't ever beat the top 3 flat track sprinters (Cav, Kittel, Viv) to name a few that have dominated recently. But he has top 10 speed, not quite Sagan's top speed but if a stage like this comes up he is a good bet for the podium.
 
Re: Re:

Logic-is-your-friend said:
Flamin said:
Logic-is-your-friend said:
Flamin said:
@LIYF, do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

What a guy. Two stages, an ITT and a bunch sprint(!), in his first big stage race. WTF.

Yes, because in the TDF and the classics, he will face bigger opposition. He's fast like Van Avermaet, Naesen, Stybar, Alaphilippe... are fast. He isn't fast like Degenkolb, Kristoff, vd Poel... Let alone Groenewegen, Gaviria, Viviani or Jakobsen...

Today he didn't win because he was faster than Bennett, but because circumstances put Bennett in a bad position. And frankly, there is no other real competition. I think, hadn't Hagen attacked in the final K, that Wout would have finished behind him as well.

Do you still think his sprint is a problem? ;)

(couldn't let this one slip :p)

I had already considered replying to my own post, but didn't go through with it. I was expecting your post.

Anyway... strong sprint. I'm glad, happy for him. Though there are circumstances to consider. The speed of the leadout was slow. Which made going from far, the best choice (little advantage of slipstreaming, and the longer you wait, the shorter the distance to get up to top speed). By doing so, he effectively blocked Sagan to come out on his side. Wout was the strongest, but i stand by my previous assessment that he isn't "fast" like the guys he beat.

I honestly think Wout is just "more fresh" than guys like Viviani and Ewan. Because he doesn't suffer as much on the climbs and after 9 days of racing. I think he won this on strength and freshness, not topspeed.

Anyway, big fan of him, i'm glad.

He isn't, but in a races he targets and matters to him he won't face them in the finale. These other guys he can beat with this speed showed today.
 

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