Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[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.

 

[DNP-Old]

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.

Literally translated we have the following saying in Dutch: too big for the napkin, too small for the tablecloth. That is Wout to me, a riding paradox. He is too good to race for crumbs, yet not good enough to grab the holy grail.

 

[Volderke]

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.

Wva won’t catch up; he should have won Roubaix / Flanders already when he could, like Roubaix 2019, Flanders 2020, Roubaix 2022. Those were the years he was equal or better than mvdp (in Roubaix 2022 still plagued by non optimal preparation because of his back issues).
He will only have a good chance to win when mvdp doesn’t show up. If mvdp crashed last week and Wva didn’t crash, he would have had a very good chance winning today, given the level of competition.
It reminds me about Boonen and Cancellara: Cancellara was the better rider in almost everything but sprinting, and once Cancellara found the key to unlock Roubaix and Flanders, Boonen could only win when Cancellara wasn’t there, like Roubaix 2012 which felt very similar to today (only one big favorite, long solo). But contrary to Wva, Boonen handily won his RVV and Roubaix mostly before Cancellara was the man to beat and Wva didn’t grab those chances.

 

[stonerider]

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.

Is that luck or bike driving skill? Wout flats all the time...either his team needs a new tire sponsor or he is not lifting his bike tires over the big cobbles. Maybe Wout should spend some time riding a rigid MTB on a course with lots of tree roots and rocks in training.

 

[Nick2413]

With how much of a gap Van der Poel generated, he would have had lots of room for more attacks of Wout had stayed with him. I’d like to believe Wout could have went to the line with him but it’s really hard to imagine that.

 

[Didinho]

Wva won’t catch up; he should have won Roubaix / Flanders already when he could, like Roubaix 2019, Flanders 2020, Roubaix 2022. Those were the years he was equal or better than mvdp (in Roubaix 2022 still plagued by non optimal preparation because of his back issues).
He will only have a good chance to win when mvdp doesn’t show up. If mvdp crashed last week and Wva didn’t crash, he would have had a very good chance winning today, given the level of competition.
It reminds me about Boonen and Cancellara: Cancellara was the better rider in almost everything but sprinting, and once Cancellara found the key to unlock Roubaix and Flanders, Boonen could only win when Cancellara wasn’t there, like Roubaix 2012 which felt very similar to today (only one big favorite, long solo). But contrary to Wva, Boonen handily won his RVV and Roubaix mostly before Cancellara was the man to beat and Wva didn’t grab those chances.

That’s how fans see the race for their rider. I’m also thinking what if Mathieu didn’t fall on his Ronde debut (strongest in race), what if he didn’t push to keep Wout behind and couldn’t follow Pogi after. What if he didn’t bonked in Harrogate. What if he didn’t fall on the MTB and the back issues. His 3th place in Roubaix without preparation. His first 2 best years couldn’t even ride Roubaix. What if he went to live in Spain earlier. What if he started 5 years earlier on the road. Could’ve even won so much more WC and monuments.
But now everything goes right for him. You can only beat who’s there. You can’t know if someone could follow or not if they’re not in the race.

Will be hard to catch up indeed. But he will get another monument, I’m sure.

 

[repre]

Is that luck or bike driving skill? Wout flats all the time...either his team needs a new tire sponsor or he is not lifting his bike tires over the big cobbles. Maybe Wout should spend some time riding a rigid MTB on a course with lots of tree roots and rocks in training.

Punctures is driving skills? We are talking about the rider who is one of the best CX riders in history, WvA is not Remco...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I do believe VDP is in the end more talented, but for the classics.
However, Van Aert can run him closest in Roubaix, all it takes is a not super VDP and a Super Van Aert and Van Aert will beat him in Roubaix.
But a super VDP with form like today or glasgow sorry no, not even in Roubaix. However, take the VDP we had in flanders, who in my opinion was not super but just "very good", WVA would have a good chance with that form vdp in roubaix.

As for overall, Wout is more versatile and cerainly better suited to stages in GT's, TT's, mass sprints even... it's just that he wants to win the classics so bad where VDP just has the edge on him...you can't say they are on equal footing in those, you simply can't. VDP has now 6 monuments and a world championship... Van Aert 1. That difference is clear.

 

[vwpe]

I do believe VDP is in the end more talented, but for the classics.
However, Van Aert can run him closest in Roubaix, all it takes is a not super VDP and a Super Van Aert and Van Aert will beat him in Roubaix.
But a super VDP with form like today or glasgow sorry no, not even in Roubaix. However, take the VDP we had in flanders, who in my opinion was not super but just "very good", WVA would have a good chance with that form vdp in roubaix.

As for overall, Wout is more versatile and cerainly better suited to stages in GT's, TT's, mass sprints even... it's just that he wants to win the classics so bad where VDP just has the edge on him...you can't say they are on equal footing in those, you simply can't. VDP has now 6 monuments and a world championship... Van Aert 1. That difference is clear.

Mvdp doesnt care much for either of those things so naturally...Monuments are for the best, whats define these guys, what each and one of em target their season around, i would know. Look Boonen eventually didnt even show up at Gts, Gt, Mvdp ride them as prep, TT is simply not something mvdp care for at all imagine if he did... Even Cancellara which started out as a Tt specialist didnt care much for it deeper into his career its just a niche thing and not worth it.

 

[vwpe]

If you wanne see power for power you saw that in E3 this year, all flat(not even on the hills) - one seemingly toying with the other. Just like weve getting used to see the last years. Like the other guy typed its all we've seen over the years so at one point its just kinda wild to say he has the same power when hes never matched it.

If you dont wanne go there take last WC, last flandern - the power is not really close, like at all and its at no point even a stretch to say by now Pog is the only one doing anything to this Mvdp..

Wva still a generational talent and a fabelous cyclist, I like everyone else in cycling love him, hes beyond a class act of a guy too.

I just dont think you do him any favours by comparing him to Mvdp anymore, hes closer to Pedersen than he is to Mvdp, thats just my belief tho, not facts like the rest which weve seen. Anyway get well champion, heal up and get back to the beast you are, we all miss you.

 

[proffate]

Is that luck or bike driving skill? Wout flats all the time...either his team needs a new tire sponsor or he is not lifting his bike tires over the big cobbles. Maybe Wout should spend some time riding a rigid MTB on a course with lots of tree roots and rocks in training.

I mean the e3 crash was Wout shitting himself trying to cover mvdps attack, while ddv was wheel overlap with his own teammate. Can't see how either of these events is related to luck.

 

[Spine Concept]

That’s how fans see the race for their rider. I’m also thinking what if Mathieu didn’t fall on his Ronde debut (strongest in race), what if he didn’t push to keep Wout behind and couldn’t follow Pogi after. What if he didn’t bonked in Harrogate. What if he didn’t fall on the MTB and the back issues. His 3th place in Roubaix without preparation. His first 2 best years couldn’t even ride Roubaix. What if he went to live in Spain earlier. What if he started 5 years earlier on the road. Could’ve even won so much more WC and monuments.
But now everything goes right for him. You can only beat who’s there. You can’t know if someone could follow or not if they’re not in the race.

Will be hard to catch up indeed. But he will get another monument, I’m sure.

Indeed. If there's one tired argument out of all it's the "what if" one. The same game could be played for Mathieu on several occasions and in different cycling disciplines as stated above. He "could" have also won more CX WC titles by now IF ....... He could be on two RR WC titles by now if not for THAT incident. If, if, if.

 

[acf69]

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.

I disagree. Wout has had bad luck lately but MvdP has had bad luck in the past. Even if we take out the luck element, in big races where they both had the same luck, I can immediately think of RVV 2020, Strade 2021, MSR 2023, Worlds 2023, E3 2024 that MvdP won vs WvA without the latter having bad luck. The other way around, I can only come up with MSR 2020 and E3 2023.

 

[jono]

I disagree. Wout has had bad luck lately but MvdP has had bad luck in the past. Even if we take out the luck element, in big races where they both had the same luck, I can immediately think of RVV 2020, Strade 2021, MSR 2023, Worlds 2023, E3 2024 that MvdP won vs WvA without the latter having bad luck. The other way around, I can only come up with MSR 2020 and E3 2023.

Even at E3 2023 you could argue Wout was getting dropped when the race motorbike crashed in front of Mathieu and Pog.

 

[Spine Concept]

Even at E3 2023 you could argue Wout was getting dropped when the race motorbike crashed in front of Mathieu and Pog.

Sure. But IF he hadn't been dropped though... Watch out.

 

[senna6541]

At this point it's a disservice to Wout to constantly compare him to MVDP. The whole thing started in CX, but the reality is Wout has never been MVDP's equal in CX - the 3 straight WC's kind've masked the real story, which is MVDP beats him better than 2 out of 3 and is the greatest CX'er of all-time. He's not his equal as a 1-day classics rider either. Never has been, never will be. Wout is a better all-around road racer than MVDP. I doubt MVDP will ever win a TT, Champs-Elysees, or a mountain stage at the TDF - let alone all in the same one. Why isn't that enough?

 

[Sciatic]

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.

Overall It agree with your assessment. But let’s not forget it was MVDP chasing/following Wout when the latter flatted at P-R last year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Overall It agree with your assessment. But let’s not forget it was MVDP chasing/following Wout when the latter flatted at P-R last year.

he was only chasing Wout because when he initiated his attacked the Philipsen/Degenkolb incident happened. That was the moment MVDP went and it would be ahead of Wout. Only because Mathieu was caught in that incident Wout went... Wout already started his "ride defensively" vs VDP arc

 

[Volderke]

Punctures is driving skills? We are talking about the rider who is one of the best CX riders in history, WvA is not Remco...

I think MvdP not flatting as much (as Boonen did in his days) is partly because of riding style. More weight on the front wheel by both Boonen / MvdP while e.g. WvA is very firmly sitting in the saddle and thus more heavy beating on that back wheel.