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

[AmRacer]

I'm undecided on what I saw today.

The race did NOT go into his favor at all. And still finished 3rd. He was clearly not even in the top 20 climbers but also never lost much time, except to Pogi. And kept returning to win that sprint.

I think if he truly makes this a goal, skips cross, roubaix and flanders, and Pogi/Evenepoel don't participate, he actually stands a chance. But when Pogi/Evenepoel are there, sorry no.. they are just too good on that kind of course

When the stars align, maybe the planets too.

 

[jmdirt]

GREAT result today MvdP...now take a vacation!

 

[Red Rick]

I'm undecided on what I saw today.

The race did NOT go into his favor at all. And still finished 3rd. He was clearly not even in the top 20 climbers but also never lost much time, except to Pogi. And kept returning to win that sprint.

I think if he truly makes this a goal, skips cross, roubaix and flanders, and Pogi/Evenepoel don't participate, he actually stands a chance. But when Pogi/Evenepoel are there, sorry no.. they are just too good on that kind of course

It's really not hard to decide. You go RvV/PR but you probably take GW and Amstel out of the schedule, then you don't do 50k solos in E3, RvV an d PR.

Pog and Evenepoel not riding isn't gonna happen because it's probably the first race they mark on their calendar.

 

[Didinho]

And how much weight can he actually lose without losing power, if he really wants to try it with fresher legs and being skinnier. It will always be difficult with Pogi or Remco powering the longer/steeper parts. I just don’t want him to drop the cobbles classics solely for this and just skip Wevelgem and Amstel indeed.

 

[Brullnux]

It's probably worth one year focusing primarily on the Ardennes to see what he can do, but at the same time I don't really see him sacrificing the cobbled classics or the cross season to do that. That's the only way he can genuinely challenge here, really.

 

[Screecher]

People need to stop dreaming and be realistic. He will never sacrifice cobbled classics for this race. It's always the same question with every big rider. Can x rider win x race if he does x and x? ... And it rarely actually happens.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

He might need to lose a few limbs; but then he can't ride a bike.........

I think today is as good as he can get; he can't compete with the lighter riders on these longer climbs. Maybe the chase to get back on cost him, but he's never winning a race like this.

 

[Peyroteo94]

People need to stop dreaming and be realistic. He will never sacrifice cobbled classics for this race. It's always the same question with every big rider. Can x rider win x race if he does x and x? ... And it rarely actually happens.

Yeah, just like Cancellara.

 

[scribers]

Hats off (and eating it) to mvp. The guy is cagey. No pogi and he’s within a whisker of winning this monument

 

[jono]

Clearly not on his best form today, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. First was never a possibility.

Still one of the greatest spring campaigns in a while?

When will we see him race next?

 

[Didinho]

Clearly not on his best form today, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. First was never a possibility.

Still one of the greatest spring campaigns in a while?

When will we see him race next?

They're gonna plan the rest of the season next week.

 

[Berniece]

Hats off (and eating it) to mvp. The guy is cagey. No pogi and he’s within a whisker of winning this monument

And no Evenepoel, Roglic

 

[Winnen]

Great spring campaign. 10th, 1st, 1st, 3rd in the monuments while wearing the rainbow jersey! In the current peloton, only Pogacar seems to me to be able to reproduce something similar (probably even better).

I'm very curious about what they decide on the rest of his 2024 schedule.

 

[AmRacer]

Great spring campaign. 10th, 1st, 1st, 3rd in the monuments while wearing the rainbow jersey! In the current peloton, only Pogacar seems to me to be able to reproduce something similar (probably even better).

I'm very curious about what they decide on the rest of his 2024 schedule.

Olympics (double), Worlds, Lombardia

 

[scribers]

And no Evenepoel, Roglic

Maybe Evenepoel but I don’t think roglic gets away on a race like this from mvp

 

[Kwaremonster]

Awesome spring campaign. The 10th place in MSR still annoys me a bit, but otherwise the perfect campaign, with a bit of luck today.

I'm really really really hoping he accounces a program without mountainbiking next week. Hopefully he will do world's and Olympic road race and either tour or vuelta.

 

[Berniece]

Maybe Evenepoel but I don’t think roglic gets away on a race like this from mvp

A lot of people got away from MVDP today, they just didn’t work together

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

 

[Peyroteo94]

Procyclingstats doesn't have a clue about rider's weight

 

[Ricco']

No way Lutsenko is 10cm shorter and same weight as him.

 

[staubsauger]

Michael Rasmussen officially lists as 58-60kg. In fact chicken weighted around 55kg or less. Even after his retirement he was only at 56kg.

Hence why I don't trust these weights at all. Cyclists make themselves heavier officially.

 

[ppanther92]

According to Bruyneel on The Move only the second 70kg+ rider to podium LBL (other actually being WvA).

 

[roundabout]

According to Bruyneel on The Move only the second 70kg+ rider to podium LBL (other actually being WvA).

Second 70kg+ rider since when? Definitely feels like some context is missing as I doubt that, say Voigt was less than 70kg for example.

 

[senna6541]

Great result today. A podium at this Monument means something when it's on the back end of a dominating RVV/PR double. MVDP has just been flat out on it for the last 16 months - both physically and mentally. Small hiccup at the MTB WC's - only because is it was such a silly mistake and with that form he could've won and owned all 3 WC's. Great to see him fulfill his promise on the road, but at some point we need to see him give the MTB a full go again. In a year with no Olympics just go all in on the MTB after the Spring Classic season.

 

[Ricco']

Regarding his calendar, let's also see how his sponsor Whoop feel about having him racing on some of "their" Whoop Mountain Bike World Series rounds.