• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

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

Page 272 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
MvdP has now won 4 monuments out of the last 8. Has anyone ever been that dominant in monuments?

Sean Kelly won 6 monuments out of 13 in 1983-1986. He almost won four in a row:
  • 1985 GdL: 1st
  • 1986 MS: 1st
  • 1986 RvV: 2nd
  • 1986 PR: 1st

Roger De Vlaeminck won 6 out of 15 in 1974-1977. He too almost won four in a row:
  • 1976 GdL: 1st
  • 1977 MS: 2nd
  • 1977 RvV: 1st
  • 1977 PR: 1st

Eddy Merckx won 12 out of 24 in 1969-1973. He too almost won four in a row:
  • 1969 MS: 1st
  • 1969 RvV: 1st
  • 1969 PR: 2nd
  • 1969 LBL: 1st

Rik van Looy won 4 out of 6:
  • 1961 PR
  • 1961 LBL
  • 1962 RvV
  • 1962 PR

Fausto Coppi won six in a row if you only count the ones where he participated. Otherwise his best streak is also 6 out of 13.
This is the new GOAT era

MVDP x POG
 
Sean Kelly's 1986 Spring:
1st MSR
1st PR
2nd RvV
1st PN (GC)
1st TOBC (GC)

2nd in Ronde on a sunday
Started Basque Country the day after where he finished all the stages in top-10 (monday to friday, one day less back then)
1st in Roubaix on the the next sunday
5th in Fleche next wednesday
12th in Liege the sunday after
Started the Vuelta two days later to finish in the podium

Unreal, something I think we are not yet ready to see this generation
 
2nd in Ronde on a sunday
Started Basque Country the day after where he finished all the stages in top-10 (monday to friday, one day less back then)
1st in Roubaix on the the next sunday
5th in Fleche next wednesday
12th in Liege the sunday after
Started the Vuelta two days later to finish in the podium

Unreal, something I think we are not yet ready to see this generation
If anyone did that you know where they would be talking.
 
Amstel is kinda interesting.

I think it's definitely hillier than is ideal for MvdP, and it's not that suited to long solos either. So he may actually get done by getting Sagan treatment at least. In 2022 I thought he was pretty underwhelming in Amstel

Still I don't see how he loses considering neither Pogacar nor Evenepoel are racing it.

He doesn't get the recovery time between bergs like he does at RVV. HE is a risk in this race.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SHAD0W93
his whoop band.

Only 265 euro a year

total steal
I don't need to pay for a membership to tell me that I'm old, worn out, and sleep poorly! ;)
 
his whoop band.

Only 265 euro a year

total steal
Wanted to buy it untill I saw the price.

And he was only 84% recovered before his Roubaix win, according to this Whoop band.
 
It's a good gimmick for those who have money to splurge.

My Garmin watch has the same features (level of recovery, level of stress, etc.) for a fraction of the cost. Who says it more correctly? Probably neither.
Ah, right. My Garmin watch tells me stuff like that. I went on an easy Zone 2 ride yesterday during PR, and I have to wait 13 hours to recover...

I'm fairly certain MvdP doesn't train on his Whoop score. Although he did open up a can of whoop-ass on his rivals, as you might say in the US South.
 
Ah, right. My Garmin watch tells me stuff like that. I went on an easy Zone 2 ride yesterday during PR, and I have to wait 13 hours to recover...

I'm fairly certain MvdP doesn't train on his Whoop score. Although he did open up a can of whoop-ass on his rivals, as you might say in the US South.
Do people really follow these advices? I wear the FR955 all the time but it gives me such stupid recommendations, like I've had my easy morning run almost 10 hours ago but even now it recommends 23 hours of recovery time and constantly suggests runs at a joke 5:30 pace or rest days. Of course I never follow them.

image-67172609-1.jpg


The only value of these watches is that you can see your pace while you're running, accurate GPS and you can connect your chest strap to it. Sometimes a map if you're in unfamiliar territory. The rest is just a bad gimmick. I wonder how bad Whoop can be if it offers none of these things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zoetemelk-fan
Do people really follow these advices? I wear the FR955 all the time but it gives me such stupid recommendations, like I've had my easy morning run almost 10 hours ago but even now it recommends 23 hours of recovery time and constantly suggests runs at a joke 5:30 pace or rest days. Of course I never follow them.

image-67172609-1.jpg


The only value of these watches is that you can see your pace while you're running, accurate GPS and you can connect your chest strap to it. Sometimes a map if you're in unfamiliar territory. The rest is just a bad gimmick. I wonder how bad Whoop can be if it offers none of these things.
Hmm…my Garmin says I have the exact same VO2 max. Makes me wonder.