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

[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.

https://www.hln.be/wielrennen/exclusief-nieuwe-beelden-laten-geen-twijfel-vrouw-gooide-doelbewust-petje-naar-wiel-mathieu-van-der-poel~aaaeecfd/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cyclingnews.com%2F

 

[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.

https://www.hln.be/wielrennen/exclusief-nieuwe-beelden-laten-geen-twijfel-vrouw-gooide-doelbewust-petje-naar-wiel-mathieu-van-der-poel~aaaeecfd/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cyclingnews.com%2F

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.

 

[memyselfandI]

Saw him in training ride today here down in Spain, looked fresh and snappy tbo and trimmed light too. Dunno if he's at the altitude room hotel nearby maybe.

 

[Extinction]

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.

Sayeth the snarky, self-appointed judge of zero consequence. Discouragement is built into the legal constraints and fostered through civic education. But you can't prevent crazy. The gesture was terribile, but fortunately without incident, and likely betrays some form of mental issue. She needs therapy, not a jail sentence.

 

[Nick2413]

What is his team’s actual plan going to be? Shredding the race apart has worked perfectly when he’s been the strongest but the exact opposite seems to be necessary this time around. Just try to hang on and hope for dear life when Pogacar attacks? Or can something fancy be done tactically?

 

[Red Rick]

What is his team’s actual plan going to be? Shredding the race apart has worked perfectly when he’s been the strongest but the exact opposite seems to be necessary this time around. Just try to hang on and hope for dear life when Pogacar attacks? Or can something fancy be done tactically?

Liege is among the least tactical monuments.

If we think they should race to MvdPs strength here, I'd say go hard in the easier, tailwind section in the first hours to put fatigue in everyone's legs.

 

[Bolder]

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.

The problem could be if Hirschi, Almeida or even Ulissi are feeling frisky and go with attacks. Then Pogacar just has to sit and wait for Mvdp to cover. This is assuming that Alpecin won't be able to cover with SKA and Hermans.