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

[Unchained]

The answer is right there though. MVP. At least in North American sports it has great meaning. And might be most fitting for him

Most Valuable Punisher....kid don't play..
MVP!!

 

[AmRacer]

Most Valuable Punisher....kid don't play..
MVP!!

Most Valuable Pedaller

 

[Peyroteo94]

What is his road schedule? Is he doing Strade? Without Wout and MVP, Pogacar has everything to win unless he is not in shape to be fresh for Giro-Tour

 

[Berniece]

What is his road schedule? Is he doing Strade? Without Wout and MVP, Pogacar has everything to win unless he is not in shape to be fresh for Giro-Tour

They'll communicate over his schedule somewhere the following weeks

 

[scribers]

I have to believe they know what his programme is by now. The logistics are very difficult on short notice

 

[Berniece]

I have to believe they know what his programme is by now. The logistics are very difficult on short notice

Definitely, I think it's just a marketing thing that they are still waiting. Let MVDP focus on getting that WC jersey, now that he has it, do a proper PR day with interviews for road season.

 

[sam6]

It's good training and he's having fun.

He says it's not the best preparation, his focus is on the road now and he's thinking this could be his last world title. If this is the case, why not turn up just for the roads

 

[Berniece]

Apparently we will only know his schedule in two weeks, but through the grapevines it’s being said that he will start in Italy. Most likely in MSR, but he might first do Strade or Tirreno.

 

[Wvv]

Btw, Mathieu never said this could've been his last CX Worlds. However, he's considering skipping a whole CX winter to see if he can start a road season with less (mental) fatigue.

 

[stonerider]

Btw, Mathieu never said this could've been his last CX Worlds. However, he's considering skipping a whole CX winter to see if he can start a road season with less (mental) fatigue.

Mental fatigue is real...especially for a high profile athlete.

 

[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.