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

[staubsauger]

Haven't got any sample but seems Roubaix-Amstel is a horrendous combination, even though there were some good results when they were the other way around in 2022.

It's probably too much off a difference in kind of intensity, kind of asked skillset. With Roubaix being rough and so physically demanding as well. Then you go to Amstel and there's all this short steep hills. No cobbles. Completely different strain.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Maybe he's cooked... or maybe he was just spinning his legs & riding Amstel like a preparation race for Liège next weekend.

Call me crazy but I wouldn't be surprised if we see a much stronger VdP versus Pog.

Thats not crazy, because today he looked like a somewhat mediocre rider. Chances are he will do better in Liege, but chances of winning are even more slim now. Top-5 is prolly max

 

[Bolder]

We know he’s a perennial top 5 rider in Amstel and nothing we’ve seen this year would indicate that has suddenly changed. I don’t buy that PR was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He either took it easy or shut it down once he realized he missed the winning move. LBL will be telling.

I think it was both : he wasn’t in top shape and shut it down when the move went. That said he also didn’t have a useful team today. But hard to say, he sometimes plays his cards close to his vest.

 

[DNP-Old]

The race will be vastly different to the one where he finished 5th(?) in the covid year. Things will have blown up long before Roche aux Faucons. And in all likelihood will have been decided on La Redoute.

Very intrigued, but also very pessimistic.

 

[tobydawq]

The race will be vastly different to the one where he finished 5th(?) in the covid year. Things will have blown up long before Roche aux Faucons. And in all likelihood will have been decided on La Redoute.

Very intrigued, but also very pessimistic.

He will probably have had an easier day out the day before than was the case in 2020, though.

But yeah, I don't expect much, either. If the peloton would ride like in 2014, sure, he would have a chance but that isn't happening.

And he has to hope that Pogacar breaks his wrist if he is to beat him but a podium would still be impressive.

 

[Sciatic]

he didnt get into trouble anywhere. Just didn't respond to attack on the inbetween part. Then had no teammates left.

Obviously he didn't feel super. And also didn't want to close for everyone else. I think we haven't seen the last of him for Liege tho. He said he will go training in Spain and really looks forward to Liege.

I think you're all a bit quick to conclude in a mostly tactical race where he simply did nothing, but didn't really get dropped anywhere on the climbs either.

I believe that’s our mantra

 

[senna6541]

I'll take the result today. Comes out 100% healthy in a race where another win doesn't really mean much. IF his form is truly on the downward trajectory, just get through LBL (or better yet just pull out mid week) and on to rest and prep for the next career defining opportunity(s) at the Olympics. But if not, good prep for LBL today. Have a good week and come into LBL in full beast mode. If he is still feeling it, a killer like MVDP beyond jacked to get a shot at taking down his little buddy Pogi when nobody thinks he can.

 

[Bolder]

His main problem in LBL will be lack of a team of climbers. Pogi will have his pick from UAE's stacked lineup.

On that note....I wonder why Alpecin don't have at least one GC guy like Meintjes who can hang around the top 10 in a GT by himself.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

His main problem in LBL will be lack of a team of climbers. Pogi will have his pick from UAE's stacked lineup.

On that note....I wonder why Alpecin don't have at least one GC guy like Meintjes who can hang around the top 10 in a GT by himself.

they had Vine.

 

[pastronef]

did he even TRY yesterday?
no

 

[roundabout]

His main problem in LBL will be lack of a team of climbers. Pogi will have his pick from UAE's stacked lineup.

On that note....I wonder why Alpecin don't have at least one GC guy like Meintjes who can hang around the top 10 in a GT by himself.

I think it will be a more controlled race by UAE at least up to the moment when Pogacar goes. So Van der Poel may not need to react to moves by multiple riders by himself.

 

[Peyroteo94]

The problem for him is col du rosier before Desnié and La redoute. Col du rosier is a 10 minutes climb where UAE can really dry out MVP's energy. We saw a peak MVP losing time to Pogacar in Kwaremont, how the hell is he gonna hold to Pogacar's wheel in a climb tougher than Mur de Huy? And after Rosier and Desnié? I just can't see.

 

[Blanco]

The problem for him is col du rosier before Desnié and La redoute. Col du rosier is a 10 minutes climb where UAE can really dry out MVP's energy. We saw a peak MVP losing time to Pogacar in Kwaremont, how the hell is he gonna hold to Pogacar's wheel in a climb tougher than Mur de Huy? And after Rosier and Desnié? I just can't see.

He maybe, and probably, can't hold Pogacar's wheel at La Redoute, but he's the only one capable of coming back.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Saw the new video angles of the cap-throwing incident. It looked clearly intentional. In that case, the person needs to see the inside of a jail cell. Clear intent to harm and an absolute liar to boot.

 

[Extinction]

Saw the new video angles of the cap-throwing incident. It looked clearly intentional. In that case, the person needs to see the inside of a jail cell. Clear intent to harm and an absolute liar to boot.

More than jail time, as nothing came of it, how about rehabilitation? The law isn't only about punishment. If it is then the prisons become social burden..

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The problem for him is col du rosier before Desnié and La redoute. Col du rosier is a 10 minutes climb where UAE can really dry out MVP's energy. We saw a peak MVP losing time to Pogacar in Kwaremont, how the hell is he gonna hold to Pogacar's wheel in a climb tougher than Mur de Huy? And after Rosier and Desnié? I just can't see.

mvdp was good in rvv 2023, no doubt, but he wasn't the same level as glasgow 2023.

 

[Sciatic]

I’m just very glad he’s racing it, I don’t think he’ll win of course, but his presence coming off his cobbles double adds an extra bit of fascination. Too bad Remco and Roglic couldn’t be here this year as well,

 

[dazaau]

Saw the new video angles of the cap-throwing incident. It looked clearly intentional. In that case, the person needs to see the inside of a jail cell. Clear intent to harm and an absolute liar to boot.

Fairy damning video indeed.

EXCLUSIEF. Nieuwe beelden laten geen twijfel: vrouw gooide doelbewust petje naar wiel Mathieu van der Poel

Net voor de start van de Amstel Gold Race zijn nieuwe beelden opgedoken van het zogenaamde ‘petjesincident’ van vorige week in <a href="https://www.hln.be/parijs-roubaix/" target="_blank">Parijs-Roubaix</a> die exclusief aan HLN werden vrijgegeven.

www.hln.be

 

[Froome]

His main problem in LBL will be lack of a team of climbers. Pogi will have his pick from UAE's stacked lineup.

On that note....I wonder why Alpecin don't have at least one GC guy like Meintjes who can hang around the top 10 in a GT by himself.

He doesn't need team for sunday. He only has one thing to do: being all the time on pogacar's wheel, and not moving from that place. If he holds on his wheel, probably he will win the race, if he get's dropped, simply he wasn't good enough and his team wouldn't do miracles. Emirates and Pogacar will do the work on the race.

 

[senna6541]

mvdp was good in rvv 2023, no doubt, but he wasn't the same level as glasgow 2023.

True. Folks forget that things were still looking very shaky with the back as late as January '23. Took a while for the cumulative effect of being 100% healthy to get the Glasgow and post MVDP.

 

[Blanco]

He doesn't need team for sunday. He only has one thing to do: being all the time on pogacar's wheel, and not moving from that place. If he holds on his wheel, probably he will win the race, if he get's dropped, simply he wasn't good enough and his team wouldn't do miracles. Emirates and Pogacar will do the work on the race.

Exactly. He doesn't need a team here much. The key is Pogacar, when and where he will go. Maybe he will want to imitate Merckx and attack on Stockeau. The more he waits, Van Der Poel's chances are better.

 

[saunaking]

Fairy damning video indeed.

EXCLUSIEF. Nieuwe beelden laten geen twijfel: vrouw gooide doelbewust petje naar wiel Mathieu van der Poel

Net voor de start van de Amstel Gold Race zijn nieuwe beelden opgedoken van het zogenaamde ‘petjesincident’ van vorige week in <a href="https://www.hln.be/parijs-roubaix/" target="_blank">Parijs-Roubaix</a> die exclusief aan HLN werden vrijgegeven.

www.hln.be

so many questions.
why is her face blurred out but nobody else's in the image at the top of the article?
why does mvdp not care about this?? He hates even when they boo him at cx races

 

[proffate]

More than jail time, as nothing came of it, how about rehabilitation? The law isn't only about punishment. If it is then the prisons become social burden..

No, it's not just about punishment, but also discouragement. Even a pyscopath may alter their behavior if they believe it to be in their best interest.

Also this is a bike forum, if you want to virtue signal go on X.

 

[Red Rick]

Police are investigating, no? There's nothign that MvdP needs to do.

Besides, if you assume that 1% of a population are antisocial scum who also love negative attention then you wanna give these people as little attention as possible. When people do terrible things to be famous, stop making them famous. Even if attention is negative and most people are angry, you're only encouraging it.

 

[Cookster15]

A low life. Would be good to know what her motivation for being stupid and reckless was. Glad it backfired spectacularly.