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

[Red Rick]

Yeah, hopefully the tiny winning margin over a not that great sprinter will make Mathieu more hesitant to convert himself into a domestique in a freaking monument in the future.

That said; they were caught before the finish of the descent, and Mathieu seemed to have enough to do following Pogacar. So he probably didn't back himself too much in the five-man group that emerged at the bottom.

But the only reason they got caught was that he wasn't helping on the descent himself.

Also it's weird to pay him back when he's literally done more work for Philipsen than vice versa.

 

[tobydawq]

But the only reason they got caught was that he wasn't helping on the descent himself.

Also it's weird to pay him back when he's literally done more work for Philipsen than vice versa.

Completely agree with the last point.

As to the first; true, but I guess he thought they went sufficiently fast and that he needed to recover after closing the gap over the top. I'm sure that if they still had a gap at the bottom, he would have played his own card.

That's not to say that I don't agree that he should have tried to overtake Pog on the descent and increase the pace, but I guess that was his reasoning.

 

[Netserk]

I think he rode for Philipsen from the second he saw that he was in the group after Pogi's first attack.

 

[Froome]

I'm very curious to see him on liege bastogne liege. I hope he gets there at 100%.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm very curious to see him on liege bastogne liege. I hope he gets there at 100%.

I don't see how he could start in LBL at 100% realistically. Neither would it matter. If Pog is there with his pre-Giro form, and Evenepoel is there with some more freshness, he is most likely going to get shredded. The only realistic chance he has there is if those two cancel each other out.

 

[OlavEH]

Since the last time I've checked he has added E3, AGR and LBL to his racing calendar. I like that. Especially AGR which is both on this home soil, and a race that should fit him pretty well.

 

[Blanco]

I think he rode for Philipsen from the second he saw that he was in the group after Pogi's first attack.

Very possible. He probably asked at the start of the descent where Philipsen is, and when he had the confirmation that he's just behind, he rode for him.

 

[Froome]

I don't see how he could start in LBL at 100% realistically. Neither would it matter. If Pog is there with his pre-Giro form, and Evenepoel is there with some more freshness, he is most likely going to get shredded. The only realistic chance he has there is if those two cancel each other out.

If he gets there at 100% he has a good chance to fight for the victory, remember that he already did sixth on Liège bastogne liege 2020, and he is good in 5 min climb efforts.

Remember some of this perfomances like in TA 2021 stage 5.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 from Castellalto to Castelfidardo was won by Mathieu van der Poel before Tadej PogaÄar and Wout van Aert. Tadej PogaÄar was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

Pogacar is the favourite followed by Remco, but van der poel also have a chance of fighting for the victory. He can survive on they're wheels.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I'm very curious to see him on liege bastogne liege. I hope he gets there at 100%.

Lol, not in a millions years he can beat Pogi there.

 

[Blanco]

Like I thought, he was missing just a little bit, but enough to not snap the whole group, plus there was a Philipsen factor.
Had he rode for himself he maybe could've won, but I had an impression he was tiny bit weaker than last year. Still rode like a champion, in fact a generous champion!
The form for the cobbled classics sould be imperious though...

 

[Froome]

Lol, not in a millions years he can beat Pogi there.

Never say never.

 

[Salvarani]

Lol, not in a millions years he can beat Pogi there.

Maybe it is not likely at LBL in a H2H between the two.

There are scenarios that could play out though, where MVDP can win. Thats just cycling.

 

[kingjr]

but I had an impression he was tiny bit weaker than last year.

He quite literally said so after the race, and that it was expected.

 

[Slavique Nuke]

LBL will be a bloodbath. After two missed opportunities and today's shitshow, Pog will make sure of that. MvdP will have no business there against Pog.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If he gets there at 100% he has a good chance to fight for the victory, remember that he already did sixth on Liège bastogne liege 2020, and he is good in 5 min climb efforts.

Remember some of this perfomances like in TA 2021 stage 5.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 from Castellalto to Castelfidardo was won by Mathieu van der Poel before Tadej PogaÄar and Wout van Aert. Tadej PogaÄar was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

Pogacar is the favourite followed by Remco, but van der poel also have a chance of fighting for the victory. He can survive on they're wheels.

He only has a chance when the others bungle it, just like when he won Amstel.

 

[Oldermanish]

He pulled back multiple attacks.

I really think he felt dead but didn't realise they almost all were.

But he still did whatever he could to contribute to a team win. Stud in the first degree and all traditionist whiners that say he should have raced for his own result reveal they don't know what can make a truly great athlete. Very rare and shows the respect the pack has for you when they don't see it coming!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He quite literally said so after the race, and that it was expected.

first race day of the year, it was an utopia to think he was going to be as strong as last year.
That being said, I did not get the impression he was that far off. He closed down Pogacar's attacks. Closed down the other attacks on the flat as well. Let's say he is at 98% of last year. That's fine for RVV which is the main goal

 

[Salvarani]

His performance yesterday was top notch.

Closing down Pog, especially the second attack. How he pulled to bring back both Mohoric and Pidcock.

Watching it again... it was a super performance.

He will be hard to beat in Ronde and PR.

 

[Red Rick]

But he still did whatever he could to contribute to a team win. Stud in the first degree and all traditionist whiners that say he should have raced for his own result reveal they don't know what can make a truly great athlete. Very rare and shows the respect the pack has for you when they don't see it coming!

Nah the problem isn't that he raced for a teammate, but that in this specific teammate the expected value for the team was worse going for Philipsen than going for MvdP. This looks like a pretty clear Type 1 error to me.

 

[Barkintheeye]

His performance yesterday was top notch.

Closing down Pog, especially the second attack. How he pulled to bring back both Mohoric and Pidcock.

Watching it again... it was a super performance.

He will be hard to beat in Ronde and PR.

Exactly that. No one really managed to respond to Pogacar's second attack on Poggio. If MVDP hadn't closed down that gap it is quite likely that Pog had won the race. Some might argue that Pidcock was there but he got some draft from Van der Poel and if Pog had known he had a gap he probably would've taken more risks on the descent. Then on the flat it was Van der Poel shutting down first Mohoric and then Sobrero and Pidcock. That was a very strong start of the season.

 

[dazaau]

Jasper Philipsen: 'I begged Mathieu not to work with Pogačar because I had great legs' in Milan-San Remo

'Oh how I would have loved to have ridden to the finish with Tadej,' admits world champion Van der Poel

www.cyclingnews.com

"On the descent of the Poggio I begged Mathieu on the radio not to work with Pogačar because I had great legs," Philipsen revealed post-race.

Van der Poel admitted he had hoped to ride to the finish with Pogačar but then switched to Alpecin-Deceuninck's Plan B in the 12-rider finish.


"Oh, how I would have loved to have ridden to the finish with Tadej," Van der Poel admitted. "But then Jasper immediately indicated that he still had good legs. We are always honest with each other and fortunately, I was able to chase Mohorič and the others. I had to do it, there was no time to linger.

Hmmmm, if he thought pogi and himself could keep their advantage I really don't see the downside. I mean he wasn't going to lose to pogi in a sprint surely?

 

[Blanco]

Jasper Philipsen: 'I begged Mathieu not to work with Pogačar because I had great legs' in Milan-San Remo

'Oh how I would have loved to have ridden to the finish with Tadej,' admits world champion Van der Poel

www.cyclingnews.com

Hmmmm, if he thought pogi and himself could keep their advantage I really don't see the downside. I mean he wasn't going to lose to pogi in a sprint surely?

He wasn't so sure about keeping advantage, Pidcock and co. were about 3 sec behind.
It's not a sure win if you go with Pogacar to the line, ask Mads Pedersen...
And most importantly, Jasper Philipsen was there, and the plan was if Philipsen is there in the finale, to work for him. And Mathieu Van Der Poel keeps his word.
To me, his yesterday's ride, although not a win, will go down as one of his memorable performances.

 

[Ripper]

He wasn't so sure about keeping advantage, Pidcock and co. were about 3 sec behind.
It's not a sure win if you go with Pogacar to the line, ask Mads Pedersen...
And most importantly, Jasper Philipsen was there, and the plan was if Philipsen is there in the finale, to work for him. And Mathieu Van Der Poel keeps his word.
To me, his yesterday's ride, although not a win, will go down as one of his memorable performances.

+1000

 

[Krzysztof_O]

If he gets there at 100% he has a good chance to fight for the victory, remember that he already did sixth on Liège bastogne liege 2020, and he is good in 5 min climb efforts.

Remember some of this perfomances like in TA 2021 stage 5.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5 from Castellalto to Castelfidardo was won by Mathieu van der Poel before Tadej PogaÄar and Wout van Aert. Tadej PogaÄar was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

Pogacar is the favourite followed by Remco, but van der poel also have a chance of fighting for the victory. He can survive on they're wheels.

He has some chances but the level required to win LBL nowadays, given Pogacar and Evenepoel presence, is higher than during your random LBL edition. That's why he's a heavy underdog, more so than he would've been during some past editions.

 

[Netserk]

Jasper Philipsen: 'I begged Mathieu not to work with Pogačar because I had great legs' in Milan-San Remo

'Oh how I would have loved to have ridden to the finish with Tadej,' admits world champion Van der Poel

www.cyclingnews.com

Hmmmm, if he thought pogi and himself could keep their advantage I really don't see the downside. I mean he wasn't going to lose to pogi in a sprint surely?

To me it seemed obvious that Van der Poel rode the descent defensively, and that he didn't actually have any trouble following Pogi.

The gaps were tiny at the top, and they could immediately see the chasers behind them.