Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[senna6541]

And, it's not like these guys came on to the road at 18 or 19 when they were still developing physically. Both came at 24 or so.

So Van der Poel finishing 6th in LBL on a not ideal terrain for him against the best and completely fresh Ardennes classic type riders the day after he does a 50 km solo on Flemish terrain isn't suspect at all?

Seriously Bonimenier? You're going to compare two hard race efforts - one in which he got 6th place and dropped on the final climb - to what WVA just pulled off at the tour?

 

[senna6541]

I was merely insinuating Senna was on drugs.

Only if you count a couple of 7.3 IPA's/late afternoon as drugs, Logic. My go to is Dragoon IPA from Tucson, AZ - if you ever happen to make it out this way.

 

[senna6541]

Only if you count a couple of 7.3 IPA's/late afternoon as drugs, Logic. My go to is Dragoon IPA from Tucson, AZ - if you ever happen to make it out this way.

Love Chimay Cinq Cents too. Not sure where it ranks with Belgians, but pretty damn good.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Only if you count a couple of 7.3 IPA's/late afternoon as drugs, Logic. My go to is Dragoon IPA from Tucson, AZ - if you ever happen to make it out this way.

Not a fan of IPA or NEIPA tbh, a bit overhyped imho and all a bit too samey ;-)

Love Chimay Cinq Cents too. Not sure where it ranks with Belgians, but pretty damn good.

It's been a while, but i used to drink a lot of Chimay. Cinq Cents, i think that's known as Chimay Blanche over here, not sure. Good stuff. I've moved on to Geuze after that and now i'm often trying some new stouts.

 

[frisenfruitig]

I love how Senna has gone from "WVA can only beat MVDP when MVDP isn't 100%" to "there is no way WVA is this good!". Stay salty bro

 

[senna6541]

I love how Senna has gone from "WVA can only beat MVDP when MVDP isn't 100%" to "there is no way WVA is this good!". Stay salty bro

Don't get too far ahead of yourself frisenfruitig. Firstly, I stand by my take that anyone who isn't highly suspicious of JV's performance at the tour is incredibly naïve or in serious Armstrong/Landis level denial. Secondly, yes, I do believe MVDP on equal form beats Wout more often than not in the races that ultimately count for them - facts back that up - not hard to look up. Thirdly, all the idiots (especially at Wielerflits) that bag on MVDP's season must have incredibly high standards given the guy has already won the biggest race of the year - RVV. My guess is that after this TDF exhibition, JV will want to tone things down a bit so as not to bring on more suspicion. So, hopefully we get a fair fight the rest of the season and we'll see how things go from here.

 

[Jumbot]

You're mixing up the forum sections senna, Clinic is where we go to use arguments like that as a therapy for disappointment in our favorite riders getting beaten by others. I've used it in 2020 after LPDBF, it really helps.
And if RVV is the biggest race of the year then why so much frustration in your recent posts? Who cares about TDF stages anyway, right? Little advice too, maybe you should question Alpecin management for making such a heavy racing program for MvdP after having injury problems for so long instead of screaming "Wout sshit so he juiced" into your keyboard with tears in your eyes...

 

[hayneplane]

Any idea what Wouts schedule is for the rest of the year. Obviously the big goal is the worlds.

 

[OlavEH]

Any idea what Wouts schedule is for the rest of the year. Obviously the big goal is the worlds.

Classica San Sebastian and those Canadian classics according to PCS.

 

[Netserk]

Well Pogi is about as close to winning bunch sprints on the Champs Elysees as Wout is to winning a GT...not close but also not unthinkable. But if you want to say Pogačar is the best bike racer in the world you have a great case. I just don't see him as nearly as versatile as Wout. Wout wins in disciplines where it just doesn't cross over. Guys who win field sprints do not win TT's and mountain stages in GT's. Except Wout. That's where he's more versatile. GT winners have historically won big classics, that's not unheard of. What Wout is doing hasn't been done since Merckx.


I have a hard time getting my head around that statement. It seems objectively wrong unless you basically ignore everything in cycling except winning the Tour. A Tour win is worth more than anything in cycling, no question. But that's basically all he has, a win and a second. Good Dauphine results. He's a great stage racer now. Most of the season he's invisible.

In the evaluation quadrant of prospect/retrospect and results/ability, it's still the case that he is far from the best in the world in one of them (results, namely big wins, so far). A similar (but lesser) case is that of Sagan after the 2015 Tour. Was he at that point among the best 3 riders in the world? If so, he didn't have that much to show for it.

As for possible great wins of the future, I think it's a valid point that Van Aert's climbing ability will mostly pay out in classics, one-week stage races and single stages in GTs (and the polka dot jersey as well), like Ventoux last year. How much are great GT stage wins worth on his final palmarès is a matter of taste and depends on what else is there. I mean, would a stage win like that over Ventoux add much to the palmarès of Kelly?

Since Merckx? I'd say you 'only' have to go back to Hinault, as he did win the sprint in Paris.

 

[tobydawq]

In the evaluation quadrant of prospect/retrospect and results/ability, it's still the case that he is far from the best in the world in one of them (results, namely big wins, so far). A similar (but lesser) case is that of Sagan after the 2015 Tour. Was he at that point among the best 3 riders in the world?

Absolutely he was.

 

[KZD]

Classica San Sebastian and those Canadian classics according to PCS.

If Lombardia route is similar to last year's it could make sense him going there but nothing in the schedule so far

 

[Netserk]

Absolutely he was.

But it was also easy to make the case that the big four were ahead of him. Which of them do you think he was ahead of?

 

[tobydawq]

But it was also easy to make the case that the big four were ahead of him. Which of them do you think he was ahead of?

I think he was in front based on ability, not by palmares.

Currently, I have no doubt in my mind that Van Aert and Pogacar are by far the two best riders in the world.

 

[OlavEH]

If Lombardia route is similar to last year's it could make sense him going there but nothing in the schedule so far

And Benelux Tour is cancelled this year.

We should really once get to see a Benelux Tour taking advantage of the its potential with a couple of proper hilly stages, a cobbled stage and a short ITT, and a complete line-up of top classics riders with VdP and Van Aert heading the peloton. That would have been epic and possibly one of the best one week races ever!

 

[Netserk]

I think he was in front based on ability, not by palmares.

So ahead of all four of them? Ahead of Valverde as well?

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

I still doubt he‘ll do San Sebastian next Saturday… But I‘d find it great if he rode it. He has great shape, so why not?…

 

[Red Rick]

Sagan top 3 in ability after the 2015 Tour? That is a take, I won't deny it.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Sagan top 3 in ability after the 2015 Tour? That is a take, I won't deny it.

Sagan did win the 4th GT and what some have said is the hardest.

 

[tobydawq]

Sagan top 3 in ability after the 2015 Tour? That is a take, I won't deny it.

I stand by it. My Van der Poel being the best rider I had ever seen was probably a bit frisky but this one is without a doubt in my mind.

The guy could do everything back then.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

I still doubt he‘ll do San Sebastian next Saturday… But I‘d find it great if he rode it. He has great shape, so why not?…

Ok, now his start has been canceled… Good decision probably, so he can get some rest…

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I think he was in front based on ability, not by palmares.

Currently, I have no doubt in my mind that Van Aert and Pogacar are by far the two best riders in the world.

Alaphilippe is better than Belgian Pozzato

 

[tobydawq]

Alaphilippe is better than Belgian Pozzato

No he isn't.

 

[Valv.Piti]

No he isn't.

I think its best to put that guy on ignore... or at least just ignore him. Learned it the hard way myself.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Alaphilippe wiped his nose with Van Aert 2 years in a row in the wolrd championships.


Where racing skills come to the fore the most because of lack of radio, Alaphilippe is so much better and van aert is like a deer in car headlights, frightened and static

And Alaphilippe almost podiumed the Tour. He did a genuine good Gc in the Tour . Van aert can't do that. Alaphilippe is miles better.

@tobydawq @Valv.Piti