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

[Ricco']

I think he now equals Museeuw as the riders with most consecutive podiums with Museeuw run being a 1st-2nd-1st-3rd.

One year later, he climbs for the isolated lead.

 

[MJR]

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

Currently, yeah. But they have one major thing in common - both underperform(ed) results-wise.

Sure, Sagan's three consecutive Worlds wins were extraordinary. However, if you had told me 10-12 years ago that he'd retire with only two monument wins, I'd have thought you mad. It still amazes me he never pulled off MSR. And there's little point in mentioning the seven Tour green jerseys; nobody really cares about those except for tourist fans who only show up when the Tour gets going. All seven are those are easily tradable for another monument win. And for those who would counter that he was heavily marked in the biggest races - so was Cancellara and he still managed seven monument wins while being just as marked.

As for Wout, he really needs to start bagging big wins and soon (once healed, of course). His plan for missing the Tour this year and focusing on the Big Ones was a big step in the right direction.

 

[rallybanana]

VDP's results in Vlaanderen for the last few years:

2020: 1st
2021: 2nd
2022: 1st
2023: 2nd.

At which point does it become a pattern.

Next year...if he finishes 2nd

 

[Kwaremonster]

If he didn't win this he might look back on this as a missed opportunity after his career, because I have a feeling that the field next year just might be insane. Pogacar and/or Evenepoel might decide to show up, Wout van Aert in good form, but talents like Morgado also seem made for this race and if De Lie gets it together etc. everything might be different. Then again, it might not.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Top 5 definitely should be doable in LBL but actually being able to hang with Pogacar and Evenepoel on those hills... If he pulls that off that might be the most impressive win of his career.

 

[Salvarani]

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.

Probably a good test before Olympics, if nothing else.

 

[Red Rick]

I honestly don't see how Liege is Evenepoel and Pogacar dropping everyone on La Redoute or whatever and them just taking turns until the finish, unless Pog drops Evenepoel, with Pog very likely winning the sprint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

If he didn't win this he might look back on this as a missed opportunity after his career, because I have a feeling that the field next year just might be insane. Pogacar and/or Evenepoel might decide to show up, Wout van Aert in good form, but talents like Morgado also seem made for this race and if De Lie gets it together etc. everything might be different. Then again, it might not.

the thing is, Mathieu himself is still improving. His level now is way better than what he was in 2021/2020. No way he'd pull off a solo like E3 or today back then. Even if the field was lesser today. Last week WVA was there and Pedersen wasn't injured...

 

[velaso montador]

Vdp only rival he needs to worrie about in terms of anyone matching his power in flandern in coming years is only Pogacar noone else is close...Weve seen this time and time again over the years.

I wonder how many he can actually end up with bearing any missfortunes and lobbying towards pog he can easily surpass 5..

 

[Gratemans]

Vdp only rival he needs to worrie about in terms of anyone matching his power in flandern is only Pogacar noone else is close...Weve seen this time and time again over the years.

You're certainly saying it time and time again

 

[Red Rick]

the thing is, Mathieu himself is still improving. His level now is way better than what he was in 2021/2020. No way he'd pull off a solo like E3 or today back then. Even if the field was lesser today. Last week WVA was there and Pedersen wasn't injured...

Thing is everyone is way better, and Van der Poel has shown nothing on harder hills than RvV since literally 2021

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

i wasnt talking about lbl, i replied to someone talking about RVV next year. Maybe read?

Thing is everyone is way better, and Van der Poel has shown nothing on harder hills than RvV since literally 2021

 

[Red Rick]

i wasnt talking about lbl, i replied to someone talking about RVV next year. Maybe read?

It's commonly known that I can't read actually

 

[Blanco]

Currently, yeah. But they have one major thing in common - both underperform(ed) results-wise.

Sure, Sagan's three consecutive Worlds wins were extraordinary. However, if you had told me 10-12 years ago that he'd retire with only two monument wins, I'd have thought you mad. It still amazes me he never pulled off MSR. And there's little point in mentioning the seven Tour green jerseys; nobody really cares about those except for tourist fans who only show up when the Tour gets going. All seven are those are easily tradable for another monument win. And for those who would counter that he was heavily marked in the biggest races - so was Cancellara and he still managed seven monument wins while being just as marked.

As for Wout, he really needs to start bagging big wins and soon (once healed, of course). His plan for missing the Tour this year and focusing on the Big Ones was a big step in the right direction.

So Cancellara managed 7 monument wins, while Sagan managed 5 (including worlds). It's not so big difference, no?

 

[velaso montador]

So Cancellara managed 7 monument wins, while Sagan managed 5 (including worlds). It's not so big difference, no?

Only that Cancellara is three times the rider Sagan was. If you look at the results. Sagan was a good sprinter with decent strenght jack of all trades kinda guy....He never was close to have Cancellaras strenght hence why he never really managed to dominate any monuments.

 

[Blanco]

Only that Cancellara is three times the rider Sagan was. If you look at the results. Sagan was a good sprinter with decent strenght jack of all trades kinda guy....He never was close to have Cancellaras strenght hence why he never really managed to dominate any monuments.

If you look at the results, Cancellara certainly isn't a three times rider that Sagan was. He was better, I agree, but not so much.

 

[Sciatic]

Only that Cancellara is three times the rider Sagan was. If you look at the results. Sagan was a good sprinter with decent strenght jack of all trades kinda guy....He never was close to have Cancellaras strenght hence why he never really managed to dominate any monuments.

I really liked Cancellara’s riding, but Sagan DID beat him strength to strength in that one RvV (on the final Paterberg).

 

[Kwaremonster]

If you look at the results, Cancellara certainly isn't a three times rider that Sagan was. He was better, I agree, but not so much.

I think Cancellara got more out of his abilities than Sagan, partly due to the fact that Sagans career basically stopped at 29.

Both have great records obviously.

 

[proffate]

the thing is, Mathieu himself is still improving. His level now is way better than what he was in 2021/2020. No way he'd pull off a solo like E3 or today back then. Even if the field was lesser today. Last week WVA was there and Pedersen wasn't injured...

As far as his watts go, I dunno. I think in AG 2019 we saw enough watts to pull off a long solo victory, it's just that his race craft was absolute garbage at the time. Most of the difference came from simply figuring out how to be patient.

 

[Froome]

VIDEO: Middle fingers and thrown beer for Mathieu van der Poel at Oude Kwaremont; race organizer wants consequences for spectators

Cycling is a sport where fans can get extremely clos

cyclinguptodate.com

Spit in they're faces.....it would be perfect.

 

[jono]

As far as his watts go, I dunno. I think in AG 2019 we saw enough watts to pull off a long solo victory, it's just that his race craft was absolute garbage at the time. Most of the difference came from simply figuring out how to be patient.

I don't know about watts either, but his run of performances and placings in classics in 2019 was almost as impressive as what we saw last year.

 

[senna6541]

I don't know about watts either, but his run of performances and placings in classics in 2019 was almost as impressive as what we saw last year.

Yep, everyone is stronger now, but relatively speaking the 24 year old MVDP straight from the CX fields was just bludgeoning the peloton in 2019 - but was wasting watts like a drunken sailor in a strip club. RVV, Brabantse, AG, etc. Not sure I've ever seen a more efficient win for MVDP this Sunday, and probably a good thing too because with the weather and all it didn't look like he had a ton of margin in terms of energy.

 

[senna6541]

Probably just a coincidence, but you have to say that MVDP (like most folks in their 20's) came to a crossroads with the 2022 Worlds debacle. Time to get your sh-- together type thing. Lots of folks were writing him off after that. Minus the back flare ups after the Christmas period it's been all up since then. Says a lot about this character and the job his parents did raising him. Funny thing is that MVDP missed two golden WC opps in Leuven (back, bad prep) and Austrailia (although not sure anyone actually counts the AU one as a real WC).

 

[KZD]

Probably just a coincidence, but you have to say that MVDP (like most folks in their 20's) came to a crossroads with the 2022 Worlds debacle. Time to get your sh-- together type thing. Lots of folks were writing him off after that. Minus the back flare ups after the Christmas period it's been all up since then. Says a lot about this character and the job his parents did raising him. Funny thing is that MVDP missed two golden WC opps in Leuven (back, bad prep) and Austrailia (although not sure anyone actually counts the AU one as a real WC).

This is what its scary about Van der Poel. He is currently the most successful one-day rider in the peloton but he could have a much better palmares at the same age.

If he had started road cycling seriously a few years earlier, he would likely have already four Ronde wins and one more at Roubaix and/or Sanremo. Then, in the World Championsips, his hunger knock in Yorkshire 2019 (probably wouldn't have happened with a little more experience), the back injury derrailing the preparation for Leuven and also Roubaix 2021 and the freakish incident in Wollongong 2022, under different circumstances he would be at least a double World Champion by now.

 

[Didinho]

Anyone know a thing about the Whoop armwrists? Saw a photo that said 20 strain for his win in the Ronde. And people were saying he didn’t have to go all out because they expected a higher number. So my question, is there a maximum number for strain on it? Or what does this 20 mean?