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

[KZD]

Baal was just a bludgeoning. Think we may be seeing the fully formed super freak that was promised in 2019 (especially on the road) when he was wasting watts like a drunken sailor and still making the best in the world look silly (RVV, blowing out AP at Brabanste Pijl, AG, etc.). If he can manage to stay healthy he's on his way to a level where he is strong enough to win his targeted races at an obscene clip over the next couple of years - only losing cause of a major mech or crash that holds him up.

I think last year we already saw that super freak, at least in the one day races which are his main goal anyway.

It won't easy to have a season as good as last year, especially because he will be wearing the rainbow jersey, but I don't think its impossible that he wins two monuments again plus something like the Olympic road race.

@Boes, I wouldn't worry with Van der Poel being too good too soon, his dominance in cyclo cross this season is mostly the result of an injury free preparation and Van Aert and Pidcock being supbar.

 

[jono]

What would be truly frightening is if he switched road teams to Trek or Visma, who could give him real support until the last 20 km of any classics race, or send someone credible up the road to take off any pressure.

Has his support in classics really been that poor, at least in 2023? Alpecin were the dominant team in the lead group at Roubaix, and there were one or two guys providing support in key moments at MSR.

In response (not to you) about being at too high a level, this season most closely resembles his 2018-19 cross season (32 wins from 34 races) and his campaign was excellent considering it was his first real classics season (wins at Denain, DDV, Branantse-Pijl and Amstel and a memorable 4th in RVV and an additional 4th at Gent-Wevelgem).

 

[Netserk]

Has his support in classics really been that poor, at least in 2023? Alpecin were the dominant team in the lead group at Roubaix, and there were one or two guys providing support in key moments at MSR.

Yeah, last year he had all the support that he needed (and then some).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think last year we already saw that super freak, at least in the one day races which are his main goal anyway.

It won't easy to have a season as good as last year, especially because he will be wearing the rainbow jersey, but I don't think its impossible that he wins two monuments again plus something like the Olympic road race.

@Boes, I wouldn't worry with Van der Poel being too good too soon, his dominance in cyclo cross this season is mostly the result of an injury free preparation and Van Aert and Pidcock being supbar.

exactly, without a great van aert or pidcock the difference just becomes automatically huge. Most of the times he hasn't even accelerated away. He was just riding a pace that was too much. I really do believe he can improve in the classics. CX looks good because the rest is less good (especially wva)

 

[Sciatic]

exactly, without a great van aert or pidcock the difference just becomes automatically huge. Most of the times he hasn't even accelerated away. He was just riding a pace that was too much. I really do believe he can improve in the classics. CX looks good because the rest is less good (especially wva)

I know you and others have a chance to read a lot more about him than I do, But I think I read that he’s said his back feels okay for the 1st time in several years, doing recent cross races? Although it would be hard to improve on his success last year, he could be even better on the road if his back is no longer hampering his training and racing. That doesn’t necessarily translate to more wins (because of other possible variables) but we could see him in monster form.

 

[tobydawq]

I know you and others have a chance to read a lot more about him than I do, But I think I read that he’s said his back feels okay for the 1st time in several years, doing recent cross races? Although it would be hard to improve on his success last year, he could be even better on the road if his back is no longer hampering his training and racing. That doesn’t necessarily translate to more wins (because of other possible variables) but we could see him in monster form.

Another couple of very important factors who can improve his spring is Wout's absence from MSR and more importantly, Pogacar's absence from De Ronde.

 

[scribers]

If mvp can hold form through Flanders and then Olympics, I will be astounded

 

[Aimar16]

If mvp can hold form through Flanders and then Olympics, I will be astounded

He is good at peaking himself on the days that are important to him. That will be about 5 race days throughout the year. MSR, Flanders, Roubaix in three weeks and Olympic XC and RR in one week. The rest is just training.

 

[scribers]

That calendar from last month is nearly 9 months long with large spreads between these peaks. Most elite endurance athletes target 1x a year

 

[jono]

That calendar from last month is nearly 9 months long with large spreads between these peaks. Most elite endurance athletes target 1x a year

Mathieu's 2023 was nearly indentical in terms of timing of peaks (March/April monument season, and worlds).

 

[senna6541]

He's been this good in CX before, as I said in the CX thread, neither Wout nor Pidcock is fully committed to CX this year, and the specialists just haven't improved their level except for Ronhaar and Niewenhuis (and maybe Eli although he's been ill).

What would be truly frightening is if he switched road teams to Trek or Visma, who could give him real support until the last 20 km of any classics race, or send someone credible up the road to take off any pressure. I wonder how much he's been offered outside of Alpecin, where's he's apparently only on a 2 mil salary? If Sagan was worth 5 mil at some point, surely he's worth 6 or even 7 million right now. If he wins the OGRR I wonder if UAE or Bahrain comes to him with an offer he can't refuse. Gotta keep making those Lambo payments!

Well, considering he won 33 straight, he's definitely been "better" than this before in CX (although I would argue today's MVDP would crush any prior version MVDP in CX and by extension any prior version of anyone else). At 29, he's at his absolute physical peak now and is on a fortunate run of being injury/health problems free. Plus he doesn't do stupid stuff like the dumb early attack at AG in '19. I think we have started to see and hopefully will continue to see a once in a lifetime talent fulfill his promise.

 

[scribers]

Mathieu's 2023 was nearly indentical in terms of timing of peaks (March/April monument season, and worlds).

He’s way ahead right now according to his team manager

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

That calendar from last month is nearly 9 months long with large spreads between these peaks. Most elite endurance athletes target 1x a year

Pogacar and Evenepoel in the last two seasons were able to targer multiple races throughout the season successfully.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I know you and others have a chance to read a lot more about him than I do, But I think I read that he’s said his back feels okay for the 1st time in several years, doing recent cross races? Although it would be hard to improve on his success last year, he could be even better on the road if his back is no longer hampering his training and racing. That doesn’t necessarily translate to more wins (because of other possible variables) but we could see him in monster form.

no back problems so far, but he did re-iterate he really needs to go to the gym to maintain that.
In general he's trained far better than any other winter because he spent much of it in Spain, avoiding the rain. He bought a 2nd house there. That should make a huge differnece for the road season.

Maybe not his peak (that's hard to top), but at least more consistency during the season

 

[scribers]

Pogacar and Evenepoel in the last two seasons were able to targer multiple races throughout the season successfully.

I MIGHT push back on both of these.

Pog is an outlier and why he is considered potentially the best rider since Merckx. You can make the same argument for MvP, and fair enough. If MvP maintains or builds upon this insane level he has right now across two more peaks in 9 months, I will accept he is right in the conversation with Pogi.

I don't think Remco is peaked in any season more than once. San Sebastian doesn't count!

 

[Ripper]

I MIGHT push back on both of these.

Pog is an outlier and why he is considered potentially the best rider since Merckx. You can make the same argument for MvP, and fair enough. If MvP maintains or builds upon this insane level he has right now across two more peaks in 9 months, I will accept he is right in the conversation with Pogi.

I don't think Remco is peaked in any season more than once. San Sebastian doesn't count!

It's pretty normal for athletes to be able to peak twice in an 8-9 month period. Remco timed his peaks last year for the Giro and then World's.

 

[scribers]

Remco looked terrible at Worlds RR. You can make the argument his condition suited only the ITT

 

[Oldermanish]

That calendar from last month is nearly 9 months long with large spreads between these peaks. Most elite endurance athletes target 1x a year

Most cyclists need to build to several peaks to assess potential. Stress/rest is not a new idea and you can peak more than once every 12 months.

 

[Oldermanish]

Remco looked terrible at Worlds RR. You can make the argument his condition suited only the ITT

His navigation skills didn't help his situation. He worked harder than he needed to IMO. That doesn't mean he could win it outright against MVP.

 

[scribers]

I think you would be pressed to name cyclists hitting 100% more than once a season. First you have to accept what their talent level is in the peloton. Then you have to compare results from race to race to accept they are running at the same level.

MVP runs at a very high level because he is heads above the rest, as it Pog. But right now he looks too hot too soon. My assertion stands, that I will be astounded if he does this twice more across the season.

 

[scribers]

His navigation skills didn't help his situation. He worked harder than he needed to IMO. That doesn't mean he could win it outright against MVP.

He straight up could not pull away from at least a half a dozen riders. Which you would never be able to say about him when he's won something at 100%

 

[Berniece]

He straight up could not pull away from at least a half a dozen riders. Which you would never be able to say about him when he's won something at 100%

Pogacar closed that gap over and over again with everyone in his wheel

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

I don't think Remco is peaked in any season more than once. San Sebastian doesn't count!

Do 2022 Liegi and Vuelta+WCRR count?

 

[AmRacer]

Do 2022 Liegi and Vuelta+WCRR count?

No*

 

[Unchained]

After he destroyed everyone.. Again.. No spitting, no urine or anything and he slapped hands w fans at the finish, so let's call all the other stuff a one off..Wout got third but he looked worked over!!