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

[Blanco]

Starting in San Remo maybe isn't the smartest thing, you never know how your legs will respond at the very first day of racing, and choosing to be a monument which he intends to win, I don't know really... I think better option is Tirreno, if he won't ride Strade which is this year more longer and harder.

 

[Berniece]

Starting in San Remo maybe isn't the smartest thing, you never know how your legs will respond at the very first day of racing, and choosing to be a monument which he intends to win, I don't know really... I think better option is Tirreno, if he won't ride Strade which is this year more longer and harder.

He did the same in 2022 when he finished 3rd, which was after back issues

 

[Blanco]

He did the same in 2022 when he finished 3rd, which was after back issues

Yeah, but he didn't do the same the year he won it

 

[KZD]

I am expecting Van der Poel to ride a stage race before Sanremo, likely Tirreno but Paris Nice is an alternative, as he always likes to have some racing in his legs before target races.

However I am actually more curious about what he will ride after Roubaix. Will he do Liège? How much MTB races will he ride? Which GT will he do, Tour or Vuelta?

Probably even himself can't answer some of these questions at the moment.

 

[Berniece]

I am expecting Van der Poel to ride a stage race before Sanremo, likely Tirreno but Paris Nice is an alternative, as he always likes to have some racing in his legs before target races.

However I am actually more curious about what he will ride after Roubaix. Will he do Liège? How much MTB races will he ride? Which GT will he do, Tour or Vuelta?

Probably even himself can't answer some of these questions at the moment.

I wouldn't be surprised if he rides LBL purely for some more LBL experience, and make it a goal next year. In an interview he said that he eventually really wants to go for it. Lombardia he wasn't sure, because with other targets in the season he doesn't want to make that effort of losing so many kg's to be competitive there.

 

[scribers]

If you’re mvp, why even ride a GT? One day races are his legacy.

 

[AmRacer]

If you’re mvp, why even ride a GT? One day races are his legacy.

Remember when he took the yellow jersey.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If you’re mvp, why even ride a GT? One day races are his legacy.

A gt in the legs is pretty good prep for Olympic or worlds RR

 

[KZD]

If you’re mvp, why even ride a GT? One day races are his legacy.

There are several reasons why riding a GT makes sense for Van der Poel, especially this season

As @Ilmaestro99 pointed out its pretty good preparation for Olympics and WC. For instance this year, I think he can only revalidate his WCRR title if he rides the Vuelta due to the hard course in Zürich.

Its also good for a marketing point of view to have the team's biggest rider, riding a Grand Tour, especially while wearing the rainbow jersey.

Finally, if he wins a Vuelta stage, he would wins stages in all three Grand Tours, always a nice achievement to have even for a rider like MVDP.

 

[Didinho]

If he starts in Sanremo and his legs aren't MVDP'ing he can be a big help for Philipsen. Last year he was feeling good but just behind the gap that opened up and had some teammates in front. Imagine him dragging Philipsen over the Poggio and doing a sprint leadout.

 

[Froome]

If he starts in Sanremo and his legs aren't MVDP'ing he can be a big help for Philipsen. Last year he was feeling good but just behind the gap that opened up and had some teammates in front. Imagine him dragging Philipsen over the Poggio and doing a sprint leadout.

Pogacar will go full gas, and i don't think Philipsen can survive even with the help of van der poel.
Van der poel should go to milan san remo, he can win even if he will not be at 100%, because it will be hard to pogacar drop him (poggio is not that hard for him), and then in the sprint he can win the race.

 

[Didinho]

Pogacar will go full gas, and i don't think Philipsen can survive even with the help of van der poel.
Van der poel should go to milan san remo, he can win even if he will not be at 100%, because it will be hard to pogacar drop him (poggio is not that hard for him), and then in the sprint he can win the race.

It will be tough indeed but i don't think Pogi will do the same long tempo attack as last year. And if you saw how Philipsen rode last year, he was even a bit mad about the gap opening up so he felt good. Also didn't he have the KOM on the Poggio a couple days before and held Mathieu's wheel. Just a good plan B if Mathieu isn't feeling good. With Kragh Andersen and Mathieu you can also maybe bridge a 10sec gap.

 

[Froome]

It will be tough indeed but i don't think Pogi will do the same long tempo attack as last year. And if you saw how Philipsen rode last year, he was even a bit mad about the gap opening up so he felt good. Also didn't he have the KOM on the Poggio a couple days before and held Mathieu's wheel. Just a good plan B if Mathieu isn't feeling good.

What other choice Pogi have? He needs to go full gas, maybe even before on cipressa.

 

[Didinho]

What other choice Pogi have? He needs to go full gas, maybe even before on cipressa.

That was his best option but he still had 3 riders with him. Longer final indeed with goind hard the Cipressa. He can use a good Remco in the next years to change his tactic.

 

[Froome]

That was his best option but he still had 3 riders with him. Longer final indeed with goind hard the Cipressa. He can use a good Remco in the next years to change his tactic.

Maybe emirates going full gas on capo mele, capo cervo and specially capo berta, and then pogi trying something on cipressa could be a good strategy for him.

 

[scribers]

Remember when he took the yellow jersey.

Wout has a lot of those moments. Yet we consistently rate mvp above Wout for a reason.

 

[scribers]

There are several reasons why riding a GT makes sense for Van der Poel, especially this season

As @Ilmaestro99 pointed out its pretty good preparation for Olympics and WC. For instance this year, I think he can only revalidate his WCRR title if he rides the Vuelta due to the hard course in Zürich.

Its also good for a marketing point of view to have the team's biggest rider, riding a Grand Tour, especially while wearing the rainbow jersey.

Finally, if he wins a Vuelta stage, he would wins stages in all three Grand Tours, always a nice achievement to have even for a rider like MVDP.

Are these worth building a season around when he can focus appropriately for his one day palmares as an option. There are dangers to consider riding in a GT that aren’t present in training.

 

[jono]

I don't think MVDP has any particular reason to ride GTs other than the training effect, but I do imagine that the sponsors that pay a good chunk of Mathieu's hefty salary have an opinion on whether he rides a GT, especiall TDF, or not, and can make that clear during sponsorship negotiations.

 

[scribers]

In terms of sponsors, they make bank when he’s winning monuments and world championships

 

[KZD]

Are these worth building a season around when he can focus appropriately for his one day palmares as an option. There are dangers to consider riding in a GT that aren’t present in training.

But the thing is that Van der Poel will not build his season around GT's even if he rides two of them.

His season will be built around one day races just like he did last year. Spring monuments, Olympics, WCRR, these will be his goals this year unless there is some unexpected change.

Obviously riding GT's present some risks like crashing but they also give the rider such a condition that is quite dificult to replicate in training and besides keeping the sponsors happy, they also offer opportunities to go for a win or two which would make his palmares even better.

 

[ManicJack]

Obviously riding GT's present some risks like crashing but they also give the rider such a condition that is quite difficult to replicate in training

Nearer impossible.

 

[saunaking]

I don't think MVDP has any particular reason to ride GTs other than the training effect, but I do imagine that the sponsors that pay a good chunk of Mathieu's hefty salary have an opinion on whether he rides a GT, especiall TDF, or not, and can make that clear during sponsorship negotiations.

True.
MVDP can also tell them to STFU, and he can go to UAE and stop *** around in stage races that have no relvance to him
I'm sure that will be great for canyon and the shampoo

 

[EllaChimp]

Im feeling happy that MVDP is likely to do one of the Italian races next month, purely for selfish reasons, because I'm attending some of them and really want to see him, lol! 😁

 

[Boes]

If MVP is doing MSR and Wout and Poggy aren't there, there's no much that can stop him right? Perhaps a really strong Pedersen or wunderlegs of De Lie? Anyone else that can follow he should be able to deal with in a sprint.

Strade is another matter. A lot of climbing, especially with the 3 new gravel climbs and 200k +. I don't think classic riders can win this one over pure climbers.

 

[Berniece]

If MVP is doing MSR and Wout and Poggy aren't there, there's no much that can stop him right? Perhaps a really strong Pedersen or wunderlegs of De Lie? Anyone else that can follow he should be able to deal with in a sprint.

Strade is another matter. A lot of climbing, especially with the 3 new gravel climbs and 200k +. I don't think classic riders can win this one over pure climbers.

Isn't Pogacar riding MSR? According to PCS he is.