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

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tough race. Even Van der Poel kinda cooked himself in the end there. 44km solo on this course is not easy to do and in this weather all the more difficult..

It was also the fastest RVV edition btw, for what it's worth.

 

[senna6541]

Absolute masterclass. Tough to beat a guy when he is the strongest, best bike handler and smartest tactically. Measured his effort perfectly in the bad weather too - when you're burning through carbs like that. Learned his lesson well from 2019 WC's.

 

[senna6541]

And cannot wait to see Chris Horner's take on this one...

 

[Didinho]

Co record holder in the Ronde now. Determined to be the only one.

 

[Pantani_lives]

What a solo! On the second Kwaremont he already got a small gap unintentionally. After that he had no teammates left. To avoid tactical games the best way was to go crazy on the Koppenberg and fly 44 km solo to Oudenaarde. There was no way the others could still organize a chase.

Of his three wins this one was the most impressive. And he hasn't turned 30 yet, so he might very well become the sole record holder. This race suits him perfectly, with his exceptional combination of bike handling, uphill explosiveness and endurance. He's the Count of Flanders!

 

[velaso montador]

What a solo! On the second Kwaremont he already got a small gap unintentionally. After that he had no teammates left. To avoid tactical games the best way was to go crazy on the Koppenberg and fly 44 km solo to Oudenaarde. There was no way the others could still organize a chase.

Of his three wins this one was the most impressive. And he hasn't turned 30 yet, so he might very well become the sole record holder. This race suits him perfectly, with his exceptional combination of bike handling, uphill explosiveness and endurance. He's the Count of Flanders!

Its really cycling history and now imagine if pogacar wasnt riding last year.

If i was vdp i would give a really nice christmas gift to pogacar and make him focus on some other races a few more years, noone gonne be able to stop vdp if he dont gets any missfortunes and one could just guess how many he could end up with.

Hes just something else the way he can ride so hard so long, we saw t last WC too just a completely different level.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Its really cycling history and now imagine if pogacar wasnt riding last year.

If i was vdp i would give a really nice christmas gift to pogacar and make him focus on some other races a few more years, noone gonne be able to stop vdp if he dont gets any missfortunes and one could just guess how many he could end up with.

Hes just something else the way he can ride so hard so long, we saw t last WC too just a completely different level.

Crazy thing is that if Pogacar decides to do RVV every year he has more than enough time to even overcome 4 VDP wins easily.

 

[Jan the Man]

Chapeau - fantastic achievement. Yes, anticipated, but nonetheless you have to execute. Already has enough of palmares to go down as one of the best northern classic riders ever

 

[DNP-Old]

Tough race. Even Van der Poel kinda cooked himself in the end there. 44km solo on this course is not easy to do and in this weather all the more difficult..

It was also the fastest RVV edition btw, for what it's worth.

Like everyone else today, he looked cooked like Castelfidardo a few years ago in Tirreno. He will probably carry this for a bit to an extend that I can't see him compete in Liege against fresh Evenepoel and Pogacar, if that was ever in the realm of possiblity.

 

[jono]

If Pogacar keeps losing TDF to Vingo, but close enough to keep hope alive for the next year, if he just gets the training right, I wouldn't be surprised if he gives the cobbled classics a miss for a few more years. If he wins in France, or gives up hope of beating Visma-Vingo at the tour then he'll be back to give it a go.

Either way I wouldn't be surprised if he or Mathieu or both end up with 4 (or more) Flanders titles.

 

[velaso montador]

Crazy thing is that if Pogacar decides to do RVV every year he has more than enough time to even overcome 4 VDP wins easily.

True but i dont think thats pogacar goal but if it was yes. indeed i have no idea tho.

Their both truly tho something else and just truly remarkable. They possess something you cant train their natural gifts are off the charts. And their level like weve seen over the years its way above the rest.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Like everyone else today, he looked cooked like Castelfidardo a few years ago in Tirreno. He will probably carry this for a bit to an extend that I can't see him compete in Liege against fresh Evenepoel and Pogacar, if that was ever in the realm of possiblity.

Maybe. But don't forget his racing schedule has been lighter than a few years ago as well. Yes he did a 40km solo, a what, 30km duo attack and now a 45km solo. But it's also only his 4th race day.

I don't think he can compete with Pogacar in Liege either way. But I don't think he won't be good enough anymore. It will be an interesting test either way

 

[Didinho]

He can always skip Amstel if needed.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He can always skip Amstel if needed.

It's the only ardennes race he has a small shot of winning.

 

[Froome]

It's the only ardennes race he has a small shot of winning.

You are showing again that you don't understand nothing about cycling, that's why you prefer calling others "troll" instead of doing a proper argument.

He already won the Amstel and he doesn't have a small shot there. He has a big shot there.

 

[Didinho]

It's the only ardennes race he has a small shot of winning.

If he doesn't feel recovered from Roubaix he can skip it I hope. He really wants to try Liege. He will maybe still be 3th favorite there in this form. And if he didn't solo 70km before the Covid edition, where he was already close to the climbers. (Even Mohoric bridged from his group). We all see he's a level above his 2020 self. Remco and Pogi will make the race hard, I just wanna see how far he can come. And about Fleche, maybe not win but could play his part in the end. I was even hoping he skipped Amstel because he already won it and try Fleche instead.

 

[Netserk]

If he doesn't feel recovered from Roubaix he can skip it I hope. He really wants to try Liege. He will maybe still be 3th favorite there in this form. And if he didn't solo 70km before the Covid edition, where he was already close to the climbers. (Even Mohoric bridged from his group). We all see he's a level above his 2020 self. Remco and Pogi will make the race hard, I just wanna see how far he can come. And about Fleche, maybe not win but could play his part in the end. I was even hoping he skipped Amstel because he already won it and try Fleche instead.

A second Amstel is worth more than a first Flèche.

 

[Red Rick]

A second Amstel is worth more than a first Flèche.

I'd be a lot more impressed if he won Fleche than if he won Amstel. Fleche is also much better with the eye on LBL.

But the likely scenario, which is a possible win in Amstel vs 10th in Fleche then the former is deffo preferable

 

[Didinho]

A second Amstel is worth more than a first Flèche.

I know. Just curious about how he would do on the Mur de Huy. He always says something about 5' efforts he can hang on, this one is 2'20" or something.
I also was surprised what he pulled off in Bretagne 2021.

 

[Netserk]

I know. Just curious about how he would do on the Mur de Huy. He always says something about 5' efforts he can hang on, this one is 2'20" or something.
I also was surprised what he pulled off in Bretagne 2021.

Last km of Huy is 2'41". He did Mûr-de-Bretagne in 3'58".

 

[Didinho]

Last km of Huy is 2'41". He did Mûr-de-Bretagne in 3'58".

Without Pogi this year, why not. I've seen Rudy Molard and Gasparotto in the top 10 before.

Edit: but it did became harder the last years.

 

[Red Rick]

I know. Just curious about how he would do on the Mur de Huy. He always says something about 5' efforts he can hang on, this one is 2'20" or something.
I also was surprised what he pulled off in Bretagne 2021.

I'm pretty sure he talks about hanging on to a reduced group for 5 minutes, and not blasting them off his wheel.

 

[Red Rick]

Last km of Huy is 2'41". He did Mûr-de-Bretagne in 3'58".

I don't think Mur de Bretagne is a great reference point simply because I think it tends to be very heavily affected by tactics, and because drafting is just big enough.

 

[Rackham]

Unless some new super talent emerges in the coming year or so, I can see Van der Poel winning Flanders 5 times. There's only Pog I see at his level on this sort of profile & he's got other objectives (namely GT's).

It just doesn't matter what sort of racing happens beforehand, or tactics, i.e. once they reach that final 50km, MvdP is the best.

It's a monument which simply suits his skillset & power perfectly. A bit like Lombardia is for Pog.

 

[KZD]

I am sure that Van der Poel will chase and likely get the fourth Ronde win that would put him as the absolute record holder but I wouldn't be surprised that if he wins again next Sunday, he decides to skip Roubaix in the next seasons in order to be more rested for the Ardennes races, especially Liège.