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

[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.

 

[Bolder]

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.

He’s 5 years younger,right? He could be winning classics long after Mvdp retires and opens his Lamborghini dealership in Hoogerheide.

 

[Jan the Man]

Did not realise he was keen on Liege.

Tough to see MVP hanging with Remco and Pog over the longer climbs especially if the race is hard. However the form is clearly very good. He would be strong favourite for Amstel.

 

[Stasat]

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.

It's a pretty similar climb & effort, the steep bit of MdB is around the same length as the MdH.

 

[Berniece]

Did not realise he was keen on Liege.

Tough to see MVP hanging with Remco and Pog over the longer climbs especially if the race is hard. However the form is clearly very good. He would be strong favourite for Amstel.

He wants to see how far he can go if he’s in this form with this physique. If that goes well he might go for 5 monuments and train to be more lean

 

[Winnen]

He wants to see how far he can go if he’s in this form with this physique. If that goes well he might go for 5 monuments and train to be more lean

I would love for MvdP to be in the mix for the victory at LBL, but I think he will be nowhere near strong enough to follow Pogi and Remco on Redoute.

 

[Blanco]

Their not normal. Like Wva hes a super talented and better version than Sagan in all aspects thats how great he is but VDP is a freak simply, its nothing else to say.

Sagan is couple of light years ahead of Wout Van Aert...

 

[Peyroteo94]

He had serious trouble following Pogacar in THE race tailormade for him (both in 2022 and 2023), how in a realistic world will he beat Pogacar in Liege (if we exclude any misfortune)? Col du Rosier will be too much for him, specially with great climbers like Ayuso or Almeida helping Pogacar.

 

[tobydawq]

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.

He had also gotten his warm-up in with the attack the first time up the climb, whereas the rest of the riders were still cold.

So he cheated a bit.

 

[tobydawq]

Sagan is couple of light years ahead of Wout Van Aert...

No...

 

[Berniece]

He had serious trouble following Pogacar in THE race tailormade for him (both in 2022 and 2023), how in a realistic world will he beat Pogacar in Liege (if we exclude any misfortune)? Col du Rosier will be too much for him, specially with great climbers like Ayuso or Almeida helping Pogacar.

He’s in better shape now, and he can be leaner. Not saying he’ll be able to beat Pogacar, not at all, just saying there is room for improvement

 

[AmRacer]

No...

Yes...

 

[jono]

He’s 5 years younger,right? He could be winning classics long after Mvdp retires and opens his Lamborghini dealership in Hoogerheide.

3.5 years younger.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Regardless of Pogacar, he was 6th in LBL a day after a 70km attack in the BB tour. If he starts fresh it's still interesting how far he will come

 

[Froome]

Regardless of Pogacar, he was 6th in LBL a day after a 70km attack in the BB tour. If he starts fresh it's still interesting how far he will come

MVP is not the favourite on LBL, but they are underestimate him a bit. If he just follows wheels, race smart and have some luck with some tatical games between the main favorites, he has a chance.

He can also become more leaner in the future, to focus in the race.

 

[Blanco]

If Pogacar and Remco cancel each other a bit, with this form Mathieu maybe has a chance.

 

[Kwaremonster]

Awesome win. You can only beat who is there and he did just that. What impressed me most is that he appeared calm throughout the race, dared to gamble that his teammates could close gaps. I feel like Wout would be more panicky in similar situations.

Now onto Roubaix. If he's tired after that, I would consider skipping Amstel. I don't think that race is tailormade for him, despite his win. Ofcourse Liege is that even less, but if he's well rested and Pogacar and Remco are not 100 percent, anything can happen.

 

[jaylew]

A second Amstel is worth more than a first Flèche.

I'd disagree with that just because he's already won Amstel and most wouldn't give him a chance of winning Flèche. And glorified hill sprint or no, it's got way more history behind it and would add another major classic to his palmares.

 

[jaylew]

Sagan is couple of light years ahead of Wout Van Aert...

I'd agree with that for now. Sagan currently has 5 wins better than any win WVA has to go along with 6 green jerseys.

 

[Purito1991]

van der poel would have a chance to win LBL in the period from 2019-2021. Pogacar and Evenepoel are too good for these race.