Teams & Riders The "MVP" Mathieu Van der Poel Road Discussion Thread

[Dekker_Tifosi]

this sucks

hardly matters, mathieu isnt going to win anyway. Placing himself for the olympics would already be a surprise tbh. I don't expect him to do well at all after 2 years hardly MTB + probably spent from the rr

 

[Red Rick]

Lol.

It would've been complete *** if he had gotten to start from the first rows.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

5th row is still indefinitely better than last row

 

[KZD]

Horner fell on his head too many times

The moment Horner said Van Aert had far surpassed Boonen's career, he lost his credibility in my book but at least he seems to finally start acknowledging Van der Poel's greatness.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The moment Horner said Van Aert had far surpassed Boonen's career, he lost his credibility in my book but at least he seems to finally start acknowledging Van der Poel's greatness.

Wow, he really said that? What an a$$hole. Boonen is the greatest cobbled rider of all times. No one will ever come close to his dominance.

 

[pastronef]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1689922988043354113

View: https://twitter.com/JeroenK_MTB/status/1689922988043354113

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The moment Horner said Van Aert had far surpassed Boonen's career, he lost his credibility in my book but at least he seems to finally start acknowledging Van der Poel's greatness.

what did Horner drink anyway.
And even the Belgian press is starting to acknowledge Mathieu might just be more talented than Van Aert (at least in the classics department). Yes van Aert is more allround. But VDP scores the big classic monuments + WC wins

 

[theyoungest]

hardly matters, mathieu isnt going to win anyway. Placing himself for the olympics would already be a surprise tbh. I don't expect him to do well at all after 2 years hardly MTB + probably spent from the rr

You mean qualifying for the Olympics? That wouldn't be too much of a surprise, the rules and regulations are all over the place and there's all kinds of loopholes and exceptions.

So much so that apparently (according to Wielerflits) he has already qualified for the Olympics, without doing anything.

Mathieu van der Poel mag naar de Olympische Spelen 2024 zonder zelf het WK te rijden

Het kan best weleens zo zijn dat de olympische droom van Mathieu van der Poel levend is gehouden nog voor hij zelf in actie is gekomen op het WK mountainbike 2023. Daar wilde de kersvers wereldkampioen op de weg zijn ticket afdwingen voor de Olympische Spelen van 2024 in Parijs. Het lijkt erop...

www.wielerflits.nl

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

i wish he focusses on the olympics RR to be honest. Bigger chance of winning on that course

 

[theyoungest]

i wish he focusses on the olympics RR to be honest. Bigger chance of winning on that course

I think the Olympic XCO course is on a landfill. The biggest hill they could find near Paris, but probably still not a super hard and climby race. So that should suit MVDP as well.

Think of it as the Parisian VAM-berg

 

[Nick2413]

what did Horner drink anyway.
And even the Belgian press is starting to acknowledge Mathieu might just be more talented than Van Aert (at least in the classics department). Yes van Aert is more allround. But VDP scores the big classic monuments + WC wins

Horner places way too much emphasis on team aspects and as long as Van Aert is on dom duty for GC winners he’ll continue to rate him above his actual palmares.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Horner places way too much emphasis on team aspects and as long as Van Aert is on dom duty for GC winners he’ll continue to rate him above his actual palmares.

VDP has no gc talent to work for in his team. He still helped Philipsen to a lot of wins this year. That doesn't count to Horner?

 

[pastronef]

UCI Cross Country riders representatives statement following
Communiqué n°18 (Elite Start Order)

It's great to have big names from different disciplines in our sport and we can't wait to race
against them.

But we are really not happy how the UCI is treating our discipline by changing rules
regarding start position one day before the race.
The point at this time is not whether or not the rule being applied is fair, unfair or suitable -
this is a topic for another day. The concern is the way and timing that UCI has applied and
enforced this rule. And the consequences that follow for individual riders and teams with
Olympic games quota positions likely to be impacted. At this moment it's not only about
contesting the World Championships, but the Olympic start positions that are being fought
for along side.

It is evident that UCI has contradicted itself in the application of the rule. Hours out from the
start of the World Championships is not time to selectively look for rules and we express our
deep disappointment and frustration with this situation caused by the UCI.

UCI riders representatives Rebecca McCONNELL Maxime MAROTTE

Nino SCHURTER, Jolanda NEFF, Jordan SARROU, Loana LECOMTE, Lars FORSTER,
Haley BATTEN, Alan HATHERLY, Sina FREI, Henrique AVANCINI, Alessandra KELLER,
Mathias FLÜCKIGER, Linda INDERGAND, Titouan CAROD, Anne TERPSTRA, Ondrej
CINK, Emeline DETILLEUX, Martin VIDAURRE KOSSMANN, Léna GERAULT, Thomas
GRIOT, Janika LÕIV, Bartlomiej WAWAK, Anton COOPER, Thomas LITSCHER, Jens
SCHUERMANS, Pierre DE FROIDMONT, Sebastian FINI CARSTENSEN, Luca
SCHWARZBAUER, Joshua DUBAU, Victor KORETZKY…

 

[magliaroz]

This sucks for the other riders and for VDP himself, who now appears in a bad light for a choice that wasn't his.

 

[Third Time Lucky]

This is great opportunity for VdP to turn down the grid boost, win a lot of respect from the mtb fraternity, fans and still get a top ten spot. He’s in the shape of his life!

 

[SHAD0W93]

I wonder if he would have been moved up if he didn’t win the world champs RR. After this I’d rather see him do a couple races and then rest and relax to build up for two big peaks next year, MSR-PR and Olympics.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

This is great opportunity for VdP to turn down the grid boost, win a lot of respect from the mtb fraternity, fans and still get a top ten spot. He’s in the shape of his life!

I thought something similar - but there's probably a rule that you can't......

 

[theyoungest]

This is great opportunity for VdP to turn down the grid boost, win a lot of respect from the mtb fraternity, fans and still get a top ten spot. He’s in the shape of his life!

Sure, he's going to jeopardise his Olympic qualification to win the respect of some disgruntled riders and fans.

 

[Blanco]

The moment Horner said Van Aert had far surpassed Boonen's career, he lost his credibility in my book but at least he seems to finally start acknowledging Van der Poel's greatness.

Horner is a knucklehead.

 

[tobydawq]

Wow, he really said that? What an a$$hole. Boonen is the greatest cobbled rider of all times. No one will ever come close to his dominance.

Okay.

 

[Gwbert]

Sure, he's going to jeopardise his Olympic qualification to win the respect of some disgruntled riders and fans.

He jeopardised his Olympic qualification by not doing enough mtb

 

[postmanhat]

UCI Cross Country riders representatives statement following
Communiqué n°18 (Elite Start Order)

It's great to have big names from different disciplines in our sport and we can't wait to race
against them.

But we are really not happy how the UCI is treating our discipline by changing rules
regarding start position one day before the race.
The point at this time is not whether or not the rule being applied is fair, unfair or suitable -
this is a topic for another day. The concern is the way and timing that UCI has applied and
enforced this rule. And the consequences that follow for individual riders and teams with
Olympic games quota positions likely to be impacted. At this moment it's not only about
contesting the World Championships, but the Olympic start positions that are being fought
for along side.

It is evident that UCI has contradicted itself in the application of the rule. Hours out from the
start of the World Championships is not time to selectively look for rules and we express our
deep disappointment and frustration with this situation caused by the UCI.

UCI riders representatives Rebecca McCONNELL Maxime MAROTTE

Nino SCHURTER, Jolanda NEFF, Jordan SARROU, Loana LECOMTE, Lars FORSTER,
Haley BATTEN, Alan HATHERLY, Sina FREI, Henrique AVANCINI, Alessandra KELLER,
Mathias FLÜCKIGER, Linda INDERGAND, Titouan CAROD, Anne TERPSTRA, Ondrej
CINK, Emeline DETILLEUX, Martin VIDAURRE KOSSMANN, Léna GERAULT, Thomas
GRIOT, Janika LÕIV, Bartlomiej WAWAK, Anton COOPER, Thomas LITSCHER, Jens
SCHUERMANS, Pierre DE FROIDMONT, Sebastian FINI CARSTENSEN, Luca
SCHWARZBAUER, Joshua DUBAU, Victor KORETZKY…

Such a strange decision by the UCI. An absolutely tiny % of people will be more motivated to watch the race because MVDP has been 'illegally' given a better start position. Are they hoping that more people will follow the sport if he wins? Which will be completely overshadowed by the subsequent controversy.

It was MVDP's decision to abandon MTB after the Olympics, and I doubt he's that happy about this ruling either?

 

[theyoungest]

He jeopardised his Olympic qualification by not doing enough mtb

Can't do everything. He tried that and it didn't go well.

 

[Ricco']

Sure, he's going to jeopardise his Olympic qualification to win the respect of some disgruntled riders and fans.

Right now, he is more certain of going to the Olympics than Mathias Flueckiger or Filippo Colombo

 

[DaLong]

Such a strange decision by the UCI. An absolutely tiny % of people will be more motivated to watch the race because MVDP has been 'illegally' given a better start position. Are they hoping that more people will follow the sport if he wins? Which will be completely overshadowed by the subsequent controversy.

It was MVDP's decision to abandon MTB after the Olympics, and I doubt he's that happy about this ruling either?

I mean, I am sure you've seen what WvA and MvdP have done to the cyclocross crowds...I may be in the minority here since I don't care about MTB but yeah, it seems like a solid move to make perhaps the biggest superstar in cycling not at the very back of the group.

Think this is good for MTB too? I am gonna say yes.

Also, am I going to watch MvdP race knowing he's not at the back of the group and limited in his placement due to his commitments to other realms of cycling? You betcha I am. Would I even bother otherwise? Probably not to be honest.