Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[staubsauger]

Based on what WvA follows Mathieu?

Not being strong enough to attack Skujins at Omloop?
Being lured into going into the red zone by Mathieu in order to catch him and bonking completely at E3!?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Referring to E3 is straight up disingenious

 

[Red Rick]

It's really hard in Roubaix to drop someone mano a mano, so I think it starts with "would Van Aert have been dropped by the attack that actually happened" and I would say lol no because he had like 10s after coming off the pavé.

 

[staubsauger]

That implies WvA would have been in top shape. Which we haven't seen him in before his crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen.

He might have hit his peak at Paris-Roubaix. It's not as certain as y'all make it seem though as in 2022 he already looked stronger at both Omloop & E3! (Before Covid-19 sadly killed his shape)

 

[Rackham]

I think the truth is in the preparation tbh, i.e. Van der Poel just seems to casually roll into town & collect the biggest prizes by crushing them. He's been performing since MSR & showing no signs of slowing down.

WvA meanwhile went to altitude & was preparing for a super peak right in time for his biggest objectives (namely today). He had very little margin for error & had to get everything spot on to stand a chance against VdP.

So... could he have competed today? Maybe, but everything would have to go perfectly for him. He'd also have to fight Alpecin as well, i.e. with Philipsen in particular a real pain in the backside because he offers 100% sprint guarantees by sitting on the wheel.

 

[staubsauger]

In 2022 WvA was flying as well.

In the end we can only suspect. I suspect he's been off the pace. Y'all assume he would have been on a super peak.

It's both possible. We'll never find out as he crashed.

 

[Volderke]

That implies WvA would have been in top shape. Which we haven't seen him in before his crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen.

He might have hit his peak at Paris-Roubaix. It's not as certain as y'all make it seem though as in 2022 he already looked stronger at both Omloop & E3! (Before Covid-19 sadly killed his shape)

He rode his best numbers according to his coach, and it was never the goal to come from that mountain and ride E3 in top shape. Top shape after altitude comes after a small dip just coming back from altitude, so normally in the week of DDV and RVV.

WvA got over his limit in E3 having to start chasing with 30s deficit after a crash, and he got to within 10s.

Fact is MvdP rode his numbers and was very unsure if he could hold it, but WvA rode 110% of his numbers so he bonked.
The only thing we know from E3 is that MvdP was at least as good as WvA. Maybe he was better, but he didn't even have to be in order to hold off WvA: he just had to be as good.

Just imagine WvA is chasing himself instead of MvdP, WvA would have bonked as hard. Would you have said WvA is a level ahead of a chasing WvA with a 30s deficit?

 

[tobydawq]

In 2022 WvA was flying as well.

He had just been sidelined two weeks with covid...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Its really just the curse of rooting for Wout in Roubaix and Flanders. I was leaving for Flanders the day of the crash in Dwars and felt terrible, imagine how he felt.. well, we could hear and see it.

There's always 2025, but man must he feel depressed after watching these two races.

 

[Blanco]

I am fed up with all the 'MdvP is 2 levels up WvA'. At his best, MvdP is one level above WvA in cobbled races / races with sharp short hills but given the PR they did together, they're pretty much the same strength in this race.

2024 WvA was the only one who would have (easily) followed MvdP and worked with him to sprint 1vs. 1 on the velodrome.

And how do you weight a difference between a rider who won 7 biggest races and another who won one?
In cobbles Flanders races he's one level above, but won 3 Ronde against none by Wout.
And in Paris-Roubaix he won twice, Wout won zero times, and they're on the same level?
Do you even read what you write?
I mean, he probably is not really two level's below, but now is certainly not a good time to state that.

 

[Volderke]

And how do you weight a difference between a rider who won 7 biggest races and another who won one?
In cobbles Flanders races he's one level above, but won 3 Ronde against none by Wout.
And in Paris-Roubaix he won twice, Wout won zero times, and they're on the same level?
Do you even read what you write?
I mean, he probably is not really two level's below, but now is certainly not a good time to state that.

You know very well Wva was mvdp’s equal I. 2020 and a win for Wva was just as likely.
Same with Wva in Roubaix 2022 and 2023.

 

[Red Rick]

He had just been sidelined two weeks with covid...

And he rode a brain dead race and still got 2nd, beating MvdP who had no COVID issues.

 

[DNP-Old]

You know very well Wva was mvdp’s equal I. 2020 and a win for Wva was just as likely.
Same with Wva in Roubaix 2022 and 2023.

Power for power, legs for legs, sure. I would agree. However, cycling is more than just legs. There is a mental edge to the game as well, and Wout seems to freeze whenever Mathieu is in a race.

Wout completely blew it in 2020 by making it a 150 meter sprint (though they both looked worse than Alaphilippe, I'd like to add). I would absolutely say Wout was far stronger in 2022 and looked ready to win, but COVID did him dirty in Vlaanderen, and in Roubaix (understandable) bad decision making cost him against Van Baarle.

Roubaix '23 is a write off, we simply will never know. Not a plus, not a minus.

 

[staubsauger]

He had just been sidelined two weeks with covid...

That's what I explicitly mentioned in my post before!

 

[Volderke]

Power for power, legs for legs, sure. I would agree. However, cycling is more than just legs. There is a mental edge to the game as well, and Wout seems to freeze whenever Mathieu is in a race.

Wout completely blew it in 2020 by making it a 150 meter sprint (though they both looked worse than Alaphilippe, I'd like to add). I would absolutely say Wout was far stronger in 2022 and looked ready to win, but COVID did him dirty in Vlaanderen, and in Roubaix (understandable) bad decision making cost him against Van Baarle.

Roubaix '23 is a write off, we simply will never know. Not a plus, not a minus.

The discussion is power for power and of Wva could have followed mvdp today, and the answer is a clear yes.

 

[acf69]

imo they are both great riders, and I always felt MvdP had more talent and upside and higher peaks, but lacked consistency and was mentally not as strong with WvA who was more consistent and therefore able to match him often. Now that MvdP has become equally consistent the biggest advantage WvA had is gone and all things being equal MvdP will come out on top more often.

Over the last few years the results speak for themselves. I have so many visuals of WvA just trying to follow MvdP, but very little the other way around.

 

[Blanco]

You know very well Wva was mvdp’s equal I. 2020 and a win for Wva was just as likely.
Same with Wva in Roubaix 2022 and 2023.

Once was, maybe...
Just like in Cyclo Cross, but this is getting even worse.

 

[Volderke]

Once was, maybe...
Just like in Cyclo Cross, but this is getting even worse.

this isn’t about the numbers of wins but occasions both were able to win / sprint for the win, responding to those who claim Wva couldn’t even have followed mvdp this Roubaix.

 

[repre]

Watching today's race made me understand that WvA is sorely missed. No way race would be so boring with him

 

[Kwaremonster]

When it comes to Roubaix we simply don't know at the moment, but I think they are pretty evenly matched physically.

I am a bit worried about the mental side though. Wout is very popular in Belgium but also the pressure is immense. And next year the pressure is likely to be even higher. That is tough for him, what doesn't help is his bad luck. I hope luck will be on his side next year. A rider of his calibre should have a Roubaix title. I feel that one big win can make his life easier and then a few other big wins will follow.

 

[Kwaremonster]

Watching today's race made me understand that WvA is sorely missed. No way race would be so boring with him

Today it was clear (if it wasn't before) that Wout is a much better rider than Pedersen.

 

[repre]

imo they are both great riders, and I always felt MvdP had more talent and upside and higher peaks, but lacked consistency and was mentally not as strong with WvA who was more consistent and therefore able to match him often. Now that MvdP has become equally consistent the biggest advantage WvA had is gone and all things being equal MvdP will come out on top more often.

Over the last few years the results speak for themselves. I have so many visuals of WvA just trying to follow MvdP, but very little the other way around.

Best advantage MvP has got is luck. He even doesn't get punctures and i forgot the last time he crashed (Ronde 2019?). He's riding in great position, but so does WvA, so that doesn't explain that.

 

[repre]

Today it was clear (if it wasn't before) that Wout is a much better rider than Pedersen.

It was. Love Mads, but he isn't generational material like MvP and WvA

 

[Blanco]

this isn’t about the numbers of wins but occasions both were able to win / sprint for the win, responding to those who claim Wva couldn’t even have followed mvdp this Roubaix.

I'm sure he could, at least his first attack, then maybe second and third, but I'm also sure he would find a way to lose, like he usually does.
Wout is very strong, I don't doubt that, often on par with Mathieu, but Van Der Poel has that something extra, like all big champions have, and Wout doesn't have that.
And bottom line, numbers usually tell the truth.

 

[MJR]

It was. Love Mads, but he isn't generational material like MvP and WvA

Seconded.

That said, WvA has an unrealistic amount of catching up to do with MvP. I know I'm beating a dead horse with an obvious statement, but Wout (once healed) really better start bagging the big wins and soon. His palmares, as they stand, aren't even close to being reflective of his talent.