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

[Hugh Januss]

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.

Nope, really like it when he shows up for MTB races, Pidcock too.

 

[scribers]

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

Gilbert?

 

[dazaau]

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

..."in the last 15 years" (to finish the quote). There have been a fair few over time.

Gilbert?

And Armstrong himself and who knows how many others.

 

[glassmoon]

Impressive result at the end considering his rather exhaustive spring campaign... now he can have some well deserved rest.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Bob Jungels had more than 70 kg for sure

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Also the 75kg for VDP isn't accurate anyway.
They asked him at the start, he said
"75kg? I wish, I'm a bit over that".

Considering that it means he weights at least 10kg++ more than the others.. That's like riding with an extra bike uphill. He's never gonna follow the best in a race like LBL. Best chance is keep riding and hope to return like he did now. But then in better form where he drops a bit less time on the climbs.

 

[velaso montador]

Dont know if its been mentioned dont have time to read all the pages . But winning Robauix and podium Liege in the same year I doubt that has ever been done before in modern cycling?

But what a ride and rider he is, a really special guy.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Dont know if its been mentioned dont have time to read all the pages . But winning Robauix and podium Liege in the same year I doubt that has ever been done before in modern cycling?

But what a ride and rider he is, a really special guy.

not since the era of sean kelly and adrie van der poel in the 80's

before that in the 70's obviously with merckx and co.

 

[Barkintheeye]

I believe I have heard that Pog has dropped another few kgs so his weight is more likely to be 63-64 kg than the previously stated 66 kg.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

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.

If he is thinking of riding the Olympic MTB race, then he needs some races on the MTB; training isn't enough.
Since his last win in Lenzerheide in 2019, he's ridden 5 XCO races - and crashed on the first lap in two of them....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

tbh if you read between the lines what he said in interviews since start this season it's obvious he is gonna skip MTB and focus on OS Road Race.

It's a course for him and he's far more a road racer than MTB specialist now compared to 2019

 

[Ricco']

tbh if you read between the lines what he said in interviews since start this season it's obvious he is gonna skip MTB and focus on OS Road Race.

It's a course for him and he's far more a road racer than MTB specialist now compared to 2019

And tbf, imo it's the right choice right now.

2024 RR Olympics parcours suit him like a glove, not so sure that will be the case in LA, as I fear they either go there to a crit like course or something more mountainous.

If he wants a MTB gold, I think he won't be too old for that in 2028 (of the past 6 olympic medallists in XCO, 5 of them were around that age or older) and if he even chooses to shed some weight to be more competive in LBL in the future, that won't be bad for MTB.

 

[stonerider]

If he wants a MTB gold, I think he won't be too old for that in 2028 (of the past 6 olympic medallists in XCO, 5 of them were around that age or older) and if he even chooses to shed some weight to be more competive in LBL in the future, that won't be bad for MTB.

My question is can MvdP lose weight and still retain his explosiveness and power. Dropping weight below your normal body set point (everyone's is different) can also lower your testosterone levels which can be bad mentally and physically for the racer.

 

[Barkintheeye]

My question is can MvdP lose weight and still retain his explosiveness and power. Dropping weight below your normal body set point (everyone's is different) can also lower your testosterone levels which can be bad mentally and physically for the racer.

Hard to see him getting to a competitive weight / power per kg compared to Pog. Most likely he would need to go well below 70 kg and albeit possible it comes with some drawbacks as you duly noted. I hope he just doesn't bother with that and instead focuses on the things he does well, some more Paris-Roubaix/MSR/RVV wins.

 

[Keldergoat]

If he is thinking of riding the Olympic MTB race, then he needs some races on the MTB; training isn't enough.
Since his last win in Lenzerheide in 2019, he's ridden 5 XCO races - and crashed on the first lap in two of them....

What I also assume is that he would need a drop in weight in order to stand a chance in MTB. Pidcock, Sarrou, Schurter, they are all far below 70kg. Makes me wonder how he was so impressive in 2019 on the MTB, cause I don't believe he was that much lighter back then.

 

[AmRacer]

Hard to see him getting to a competitive weight / power per kg compared to Pog. Most likely he would need to go well below 70 kg and albeit possible it comes with some drawbacks as you duly noted. I hope he just doesn't bother with that and instead focuses on the things he does well, some more Paris-Roubaix/MSR/RVV wins.

Worls, Olympic 2024,...
Think he needs more challenges than riding the same races every year.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Worls, Olympic 2024,...
Think he needs more challenges than riding the same races every year.

OK agree, but I wish him not go down the starvation route like Vingo and others

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

OK agree, but I wish him not go down the starvation route like Vingo and others

he wont, not in his system anyway to live like that.

He also likes his fries and burger after a big classic. Its why VDP would be a super bad fit at Visma LAB or DSM

 

[Hugh Januss]

What I also assume is that he would need a drop in weight in order to stand a chance in MTB. Pidcock, Sarrou, Schurter, they are all far below 70kg. Makes me wonder how he was so impressive in 2019 on the MTB, cause I don't believe he was that much lighter back then.

Sam Gaze does pretty good at 80kilos and 1.89m

 

[senna6541]

He should absolutely stay within his range. Plenty of big wins still out there at 165lbs or whatever he is. Have a few drinks on vacation while your at it. Still needs to rack up a few more RVV/PR's and still plenty left to accomplish on the MTB. Doesn't seem like he has any interest in doing something stupid like cutting weight to try and be something he's not. Who the hell wants to be scrawny bag of bones anyway? It's embarrassing to watch "world class athletes" like Skelmose and Iserbyt have to get carried off like little babies because they are way too lean.

 

[meat puppet]

I have complained about MvdP dominance time and again, because I prefer races to parades mostly. But all that said, it's absolutely healthy (literally) for the image and practice of bike racing that among others riders like him and wva can do well in range of races and are not stick insects.

Athletes will of course be somewhat lanky in comparison to the general public, but it is a fine line sometimes, and IMHO in the mid/late 2010s the sport collectively overdid the weight thing.

So, please have your burgers, beers and whatnot MvdP, and also be sure to post it on Instagram too.

 

[Oldermanish]

Also the 75kg for VDP isn't accurate anyway.
They asked him at the start, he said
"75kg? I wish, I'm a bit over that".

Considering that it means he weights at least 10kg++ more than the others.. That's like riding with an extra bike uphill. He's never gonna follow the best in a race like LBL. Best chance is keep riding and hope to return like he did now. But then in better form where he drops a bit less time on the climbs.

He's also gotta concede some speed to be able to ride that length of race. He won PR for all to see so he's not produced anything but a credible 3rd place in LBL. That's a pretty intense couple of weeks!

 

[Sciatic]

Worls, Olympic 2024,...
Think he needs more challenges than riding the same races every year.

That is just a weird sentiment that he should look elsewhere because winning the biggest races in the sport is somehow old hat and he needs more challenges.

Imagine Argentina saying “we’re going to focus our entire national team effort solely on winning Copa Americana instead of the next World Cup because we’ve already won the WC so it’s not enough of challenge to just continue trying to win that.”

 

[AmRacer]

That is just a weird sentiment that he should look elsewhere because winning the biggest races in the sport is somehow old hat and he needs more challenges.

Imagine Argentina saying “we’re going to focus our entire national team effort solely on winning Copa Americana instead of the next World Cup because we’ve already won the WC so it’s not enough of challenge to just continue trying to win that.”

I thought TdF was the biggest 🤔
But Mathieu isn't a GC rider.

 

[Sciatic]

I thought TdF was the biggest 🤔
But Mathieu isn't a GC rider.

Yes, in global attention and for GC riders Le Tour is certainly the biggest.

For classics riders it’s the 5 monuments and the World’s that are most important. And if you’re a cobbles classic rider like MVDP, the pinnacle is winning de Ronde and Roubaix plus the road WC.