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

[Keldergoat]

A WC and multiple monument winner working his ass off for a teammate while he could have won himself as well seems extremely humble,selfless and altruistic to me. Can't see anything negative about that, it shows his greatness in a different way. Apart from that, seeing how good he already was Today I think he will be in fine shape in Flanders and Roubaix.

If you have to be critical he makes one tactical error it is not countering Pogacar first attack. He was still looking sharp at that moment and only Ganna and Bettiol were still in the wheels.

 

[saunaking]

Don't get me wrong but I'm very disappointed with him. Seriously, he is one of the best classicomanos cycling has ever seen and he is giving monuments to his teammate? He had everything to win today and don't like this lack of champion mentality.

Are you crazy? He wasn't strong enough today. Even his 'leadout' for Philipsen was pretty weak and not what won the race.

 

[Red Rick]

Are you crazy? He wasn't strong enough today. Even his 'leadout' for Philipsen was pretty weak and not what won the race.

He pulled back multiple attacks.

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

 

[Froome]

Don't get me wrong but I'm very disappointed with him. Seriously, he is one of the best classicomanos cycling has ever seen and he is giving monuments to his teammate? He had everything to win today and don't like this lack of champion mentality.

He is humble and kind.

 

[Kwaremonster]

I think he played it right after a tactical error on the poggio. I feel like it's what boonen would do in his best days. From a group with 10 this was the best chance for a Alpecin victory and in Philipsen he has a very grateful teammate who might return the favour in another race (maybe Paris Roubaix again).

 

[Peyroteo94]

He is humble and kind.

This is why I miss Armstrong.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Not bad for first road race of the season. He is aiming for a peak at RVV. Still a bit of time left to hone the form, but his base is really good already, considering what he showed today. Didn't win but that was difficult anyway with the quality of the field coming into the line. Did the right thing to set up Jasper for the sprint by closing everything down prior.

 

[Netserk]

He said he had to dig deep to close the last attack (didn’t expect someone to get a gap at that last part) and would’ve loved to go with Pogi alone. Didn’t knew where Philipsen was, asked if he was dropped or with the group.

Another good argument for the ban of team radios.

 

[Didinho]

Another good argument for the ban of team radios.

I’m all for no-radio. But he asked it after the race, when they were interviewing him. Wanted to know if he was with the others or came back after being dropped.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He pulled back multiple attacks.

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

doesnt seem like that in the interview

,,Ik voelde dat ik de benen had om iedereen terug te halen. Na de Poggio, beneden, zag ik dat Jasper er bij zat en wist ik dat ik voor hem zou rijden. Jasper had al gezegd dat hij goede benen had voor de Poggio. Dan is het niet een hele moeilijke beslissing. Ik had vorig jaar veel aan Jasper te danken in Parijs-Roubaix, dat zal ik niet snel vergeten.’’

"I felt i had the legs to pull everyone back".

Also:

,,Ik had ook nog wel de benen om te sprinten. Maar als Jasper zegt dat hij echt super is, geloof ik hem en is het aan mij om te rijden.

"I still had the legs to ride for a sprint. But if Jasper says he is really super than I believe him and it was up to me to ride for him"

Every part of the interviews I read on AD seems to point to the opposite. He was only a bit tired at the top of the Poggio because he had to close the gap to Pogacar. Although this to me was more to positioning than anything else.

It's his first race day, he was maybe 98% instead of 100% but still good enough to win. But he chose to ride for Philipsen which was likely the more safe option with Jasper saying he is good.

 

[Red Rick]

doesnt seem like that in the interview

,,Ik voelde dat ik de benen had om iedereen terug te halen. Na de Poggio, beneden, zag ik dat Jasper er bij zat en wist ik dat ik voor hem zou rijden. Jasper had al gezegd dat hij goede benen had voor de Poggio. Dan is het niet een hele moeilijke beslissing. Ik had vorig jaar veel aan Jasper te danken in Parijs-Roubaix, dat zal ik niet snel vergeten.’’

"I felt i had the legs to pull everyone back".

Also:

,,Ik had ook nog wel de benen om te sprinten. Maar als Jasper zegt dat hij echt super is, geloof ik hem en is het aan mij om te rijden.

"I still had the legs to ride for a sprint. But if Jasper says he is really super than I believe him and it was up to me to ride for him"

Every part of the interviews I read on AD seems to point to the opposite. He was only a bit tired at the top of the Poggio because he had to close the gap to Pogacar. Although this to me was more to positioning than anything else.

It's his first race day, he was maybe 98% instead of 100% but still good enough to win. But he chose to ride for Philipsen which was likely the more safe option with Jasper saying he is good.

Lmao

A sprint after the Poggio is never a safer option than Van der Poel taking on Pogacar in the sprint. Philipsen only won because Matthews *** it.

 

[tobydawq]

Lmao

A sprint after the Poggio is never a safer option than Van der Poel taking on Pogacar in the sprint. Philipsen only won because Matthews *** it.

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.

 

[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

Mathieu van der Poel is the winner of Tirreno-Adriatico 2021 Stage 5, before Tadej PogaÄar and Wout van Aert. Tadej PogaÄar was leader in GC.

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.