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

[senna6541]

I'll see if I can rematch that one.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-D_319ng3k&t=309s

 

[senna6541]

A bit unclear but it seems like the 2021 version was 184 km with 3072 alt mtrs. This year’s SB was longer and with more am.

Seems like MVDP gets a lot of his explosiveness on short climbs from his core and upper body strength. Watch his attack at the WC's and compare the visual vs. Pogi, Wout and Pedersen. Looks like he is using his whole body to generate an insane amount of torque, whereas it's all lower body with the other guys. Just stick to piling up RVV's, PR's, CX's WC's and get some more MTB World Cups wins and forget about the longer climb stuff.

 

[Bolder]

Seems like MVDP gets a lot of his explosiveness on short climbs from his core and upper body strength. Watch his attack at the WC's and compare the visual vs. Pogi, Wout and Pedersen. Looks like he is using his whole body to generate an insane amount of torque, whereas it's all lower body with the other guys. Just stick to piling up RVV's, PR's, CX's WC's and get some more MTB World Cups wins and forget about the longer climb stuff.

And that's why his back injury was so worrisome. You can see, as you note, how he torques his whole upper body. It would be like Mauri Vansevenant getting a neck injury...

But he apparently is doing a lot of core work now, so long as he keeps it up, he should have few problems. (I have a bulging disc and have to do the same, tho I'm old and slow anyway...)

 

[senna6541]

And that's why his back injury was so worrisome. You can see, as you note, how he torques his whole upper body. It would be like Mauri Vansevenant getting a neck injury...

But he apparently is doing a lot of core work now, so long as he keeps it up, he should have few problems. (I have a bulging disc and have to do the same, tho I'm old and slow anyway...)

So true. It sucked watching him try to race when his back was bad. Seemed like he might be going down the same path as Tiger Woods when his back (and to a lesser extent his knees) started to go on him - at least partially because of how aggressive his swing was.

 

[senna6541]

And of course the great Larry Bird's career was shorted out because of his back...

 

[Didinho]

Tour de France and Olympic Games road race next on his schedule.

No MTB it seems.

 

[Monte Serra]

And no MTB at the Olympics, only the road race. A wise decision.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

A wise decision, surely. Don't know if this will put an end to his MTB career, but it would be a shame if he concluded his career with only an EC and some World cup races

 

[Axel Hangleck]

A probable wise decision. He needed to commit more time to training and races to be competitive in the MTB races - and he can't do that. We know what happens if he just turns up for one race......

A shame he's done so little on the MTB in the last 4-5 years......Maybe in a few years he'll give it a proper go - and will still be competitive.

 

[Berniece]

A wise decision, surely. Don't know if this will put an end to his MTB career, but it would be a shame if he concluded his career with only an EC and some World cup races

He said he might go for it in LA in 2028, since he'll be somewhere different with his road career.

 

[KZD]

Its a tough but correct decision in my opinion.

Surely some mountain bike fans will become a bit disappointed but we have to be realistic, Van der Poel hasn't raced on the mountain bike for years, apart from the Worlds last year and that one didn't go well, and he is one of the best road riders in the world and with an road race route that suits his almost perfectly, its the logical choice as he said. On top of that he will have the chance to ride the Tour in the rainbow jersey an opportunity that he might never have again in his career.

Curious to see if, after the Olympics, he will decide to ride the Vuelta before the Worlds in Zürich or if he will do some smaller races to prepare for it like Benelux or the Canadian classics.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He still wants a Vuelta stage win but idk if it is for this year

 

[Blanco]

He'll ride La Vuelta, I think...

 

[Ricco']

His 2024 program might be one of the lightest ever for a reigning road world champion, no?

Even Mads Pedersen, the Covid World Champion, raced more than 50 race days wearing the rainbow jersey. Depending on his post-Tour program (and assuming he finishes the race), MVDP will have little more than 30 race days with the rainbow jersey.

 

[tobydawq]

His 2024 program might be one of the lightest ever for a reigning road world champion, no?

Even Mads Pedersen, the Covid World Champion, raced more than 50 race days wearing the rainbow jersey. Depending on his post-Tour program (and assuming he finishes the race), MVDP will have little more than 30 race days with the rainbow jersey.

Well, not if he does the Vuelta.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

His 2024 program might be one of the lightest ever for a reigning road world champion, no?

Even Mads Pedersen, the Covid World Champion, raced more than 50 race days wearing the rainbow jersey. Depending on his post-Tour program (and assuming he finishes the race), MVDP will have little more than 30 race days with the rainbow jersey.

his program after the olympics is not over. It's just not decided yet.

In general though. Mathieu always races quite a light schedule. But that is all the hype with training hard nowadays.

 

[Ricco']

Well, I doubt he does the Vuelta this year, but with the stage 3 starting 20km away from my house, please prove me wrong Mathieu

 

[Didinho]

And he also raced in his WC jersey during winter.

 

[Berniece]

I don’t see an issue with him not racing a lot. I rather have him at his best during the biggest races than good at every race

 

[Peyroteo94]

I don’t see an issue with him not racing a lot. I rather have him at his best during the biggest races than good at every race

I partially agree with you. Of course I want MVP to be at his best in monuments and worlds, etc However I'm still a old school guy and loved to see all cobbled specialists fighting in all cobbled classics. These days, Omloop is not what supposed to be, kuurne the same, even strade (I know that it isn't a cobbled classic) is missing big names fighting for the win. MVP no longer cares about Strade since his win. WVA only cares now about his Flanders or Roubaix win.
I want world class riders to fight each other way more!!! Bringa back the world cup and pay huge money for the winner!

 

[senna6541]

Well, I guess pile up the road palmares the next 3 years and then go for Gold on the MTB in LA. Given the topography of LA (surf and ski the same day), the road course could be anything from pure climber to sprinter. Funny how MVDP has gone from "reckless" kid to hyper-focused professional - the constant being that he wins at an insane rate. He still has plenty of time to get a MTB WC too.

 

[yaco]

The Vuelta parcours is really suitable for MVP so it will be hard to resist. And if he dials back his cyclocross then the Vuleta will fit into his schedule.

 

[glassmoon]

A probable wise decision. He needed to commit more time to training and races to be competitive in the MTB races - and he can't do that. We know what happens if he just turns up for one race......

A shame he's done so little on the MTB in the last 4-5 years......Maybe in a few years he'll give it a proper go - and will still be competitive.

As much as I was looking forward to his clash with Pidders, Nino and others, this seems like a wise and logical decision... but I'm afraid it's the beginning of the end of his MTB racing...

 

[stonerider]

His 2024 program might be one of the lightest ever for a reigning road world champion, no?

Even Mads Pedersen, the Covid World Champion, raced more than 50 race days wearing the rainbow jersey. Depending on his post-Tour program (and assuming he finishes the race), MVDP will have little more than 30 race days with the rainbow jersey.

Did you forget to add his CX races during the winter? I'd say he races more of a year round schedule than any former Road World Champions. He's doing a perfect schedule to stay fresh for his biggest targets.

 

[Netserk]

Did you forget to add his CX races during the winter? I'd say he races more of a year round schedule than any former Road World Champions. He's doing a perfect schedule to stay fresh for his biggest targets.

He doesn't race CX in his WCRR jersey.