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

[meat puppet]

Perhaps the wrong week to mention 2011.

I would agree with you but then we both would be wrong 😁

Anyway, vd Poel is probably gonna peak like an angel after this tried and tested approach. Wva at this rate is probably gonna regress and alaphilippe he can just stomp.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Which group is more prestigious? Or has more endorsement value?

• Group 1: Sagan, Vavlerde, Alaphilippe, Pedersen, Evenepoel
• Group 2: Van Avermaet, Carapaz

But if you add Vino to the list, everything changes.

 

[senna6541]

Well, if he wants a stage, it looks like 18. I imagine Alpecin will get one before that, but if not, there will be huge pressure to deliver and he will be very close to Olympic level form. He's obviously not that motivated by the "grandeur" (other than getting yellow for his pap) of the TDF, but he may go into this one pretty jacked up.

 

[stonerider]

I was surprised he couldn't even outsprint Girmay at the end of the stage. Girmay has been going for stage wins and sprint bonuses so you would think MvdP would be fresher yesterday. He really enjoyed playing golf during his mid-season break.

 

[Berniece]

I suspect its different this year regarding his form curve not only of the OL but also the WC which im sure he has ambition in?

WC is too difficult. Pogacar and Evenepoel are going for it

 

[yaco]

Sure I dont rate him above those on that course but just meant I know he has it in his calender and therefore the way they set up his form curve might affect that. Idk though

What. The TDF has to be a major target in any year. And he has under-performed in the TDF.

 

[James M]

What. The TDF has to be a major target in any year. And he has under-performed in the TDF.

Its not, he got bigger fish to frie. Its nothing Van der Poel can do in the Tour to further increase his career almost. For him its all about monuments, OL, WC and what he is judged upon.

 

[Peter von]

Its not, he got bigger fish to frie. Its nothing Van der Poel can do in the Tour to further increase his career almost. For him its all about monuments, OL, WC and what he is judged upon.

true, he could go for Green jersey himself*, flick Phillipsen off to another team. Obviosuly he is too good to finish his career on fewer than 5 stage wins at the Tour, but I also think he is likely to increase his tally in the coming years even if he doesn't peak at the Tour.
This year and last year in particular, going for Worlds and Olympics is obviously better than maybe getting a stage or even multiple stages.

I haven't kept up with the rumors, perhaps Phillipsen moves to another team?(EDIT: nope, he extended his deal)
I think MVP could be incredibly strong for the 2025 TdF.

*I realize that it's not a perfect fit for his rider type, but that's why it would be a great achievement.

 

[James M]

true, he could go for Green jersey himself*, flick Phillipsen off to another team. Obviosuly he is too good to finish his career on fewer than 5 stage wins at the Tour, but I also think he is likely to increase his tally in the coming years even if he doesn't peak at the Tour.
This year and last year in particular, going for Worlds and Olympics is obviously better than maybe getting a stage or even multiple stages.

I haven't kept up with the rumors, perhaps Phillipsen moves to another team?
I think MVP could be incredibly strong for the 2025 TdF.

*I realize that it's not a perfect fit for his rider type, but that's why it would be a great achievement.

But would a green jersey really add something to his palmares? For me not so much as he is chasing bigger goals but agree. He has stage wins, he has worn the yellow I just fail to see what he can accomplish to boost his career in the Tour besides winning a few more stages.
Was the same with Boonen when he started winning monuments barely even bothered to go to the Tour and why not for those kings it make sense I guess Van der Poel is the same but media responsibilities also factor in when he can use it as training towards his goal aswell its a win win for everyone. Eventually when it aligns I think it will come a time like you he will have his second peak of the season more in the Tour aswell.

 

[Peter von]

But would a green jersey really add something to his palmares? For me not so much as he is chasing bigger goals but agree. He has stage wins, he has worn the yellow I just fail to see what he can accomplish to boost his career in the Tour besides winning a few more stages.
Was the same with Boonen when he started winning monuments barely even bothered to go to the Tour and why not for those kings it make sense I guess Van der Poel is the same but media responsibilities also factor in when he can use it as training towards his goal aswell its a win win for everyone. Eventually when it aligns I think it will come a time like you he will have his second peak of the season more in the Tour aswell.

Yeah. I agree he cannot do anything at the tour that will reach the top 5 on his palmares maybe even top 10, but also: the tour is the tour, so I think it would give him a bump.
Just to be clear i don't think MVP needs a green jersey and/or 5 more stage wins to be remembered as a great rider.

Idk, Boonen had won 3 monuments before starting the 2007 season where he won the green jersey. But yes he had a long and pretty great career after 2007 without doing much of note in July. I don't know how much of that was a choice from Boonen and how much was because the sprinters field just passed him by.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

What. The TDF has to be a major target in any year. And he has under-performed in the TDF.

Not for him; it's training like last year. And he's not the first, or last rider who finds the Tour doesn't really suit his strengths.

I'd prefer him to bin it off, and race the summer on the MTB in future years......

 

[Ricco']

This year and last year in particular, going for Worlds and Olympics is obviously better than maybe getting a stage or even multiple stages.

I also have the impression that the kind of finishes that would be perfect to VdP are less nowadays than a couple of years ago.

During Sagan prime I feel that we would have regularly at least one or two stages per edition that finished atop a small hill which wasn't a murito as well. Like Cherbourg in 2018, Longwy in 2017, or La Roche-sur-Yon in 2018, couple of finishes in Rodez iirc...

It's strange that in an era where we have strong puncheurs with strong rivalries like him and WVA who can go head to head in those kinds of finishes, we don't have a finish tailormade for that in the TdF for 2 or 3 years, now. The closest to that in recent edition may have been Lausanne in 2022 (Longwy that year was too difficult I guess), but MVDP shape in that edition was atrocious.

 

[James M]

Yeah. I agree he cannot do anything at the tour that will reach the top 5 on his palmares maybe even top 10, but also: the tour is the tour, so I think it would give him a bump.
Just to be clear i don't think MVP needs a green jersey and/or 5 more stage wins to be remembered as a great rider.

Idk, Boonen had won 3 monuments before starting the 2007 season where he won the green jersey. But yes he had a long and pretty great career after 2007 without doing much of note in July. I don't know how much of that was a choice from Boonen and how much was because the sprinters field just passed him by.

True. I wonder if next year we already maybe get to see Van der Poel have his second peak for the year at the Tour? I guess it depends on the WC route next year or what you think? Do you think he will go for winning a stage in all GT?

 

[Bolder]

What. The TDF has to be a major target in any year. And he has under-performed in the TDF.

He didn't underperform in his first Tour. Mur de Bretagne was insane and he held yellow until the Romme / la Colombiere stage iirc.

I don't think a GT holds enough interest for him to really focus on one. I'd love to see it, though.

 

[Peter von]

True. I wonder if next year we already maybe get to see Van der Poel have his second peak for the year at the Tour? I guess it depends on the WC route next year or what you think? Do you think he will go for winning a stage in all GT?

It’s Tough to predict the future!

i think the parcours at the Tour and Worlds will make up his mind; and the team might also want him to focus more on the tour especially if they loose Phillipsen.(edit, He extended his contract)

Vuelta stage hunting is something that can be combined with non-super Worlds; I guess he might be tempted; but I don’t think he’ll go out of his way to win in Spain.

 

[sam6]

If MVDP is not in good form yet, why is he even here and not racing MTB + RR?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What. The TDF has to be a major target in any year. And he has under-performed in the TDF.

hmm, yes and no.
2 years ago he did the giro and was fatigued
last year he got ill

This year, quite honestly, there arent much stages that spell Van der Poel. There's only so much he can do here.

 

[senna6541]

At this point a Vuelta stage/red jersey would be worth more than a TDF stage IMO - just to check the box for all three GT's. The TDF is for sponsors and for folks that don't really watch bike racing and for GC guys. MVDP needs to win the races where every leader on every team lines up with the same objective - 1st place. Keep piling on Monuments, WC's (preferably one on the MTB) and an Olympic Gold medal (especially on the road) would be a very, very nice win too. All that said, it will be very hard for him to top last year's WC performance. Guessing that will go down as the best of his career when it is all said and done.

 

[yaco]

He didn't underperform in his first Tour. Mur de Bretagne was insane and he held yellow until the Romme / la Colombiere stage iirc.

I don't think a GT holds enough interest for him to really focus on one. I'd love to see it, though.

MVDP is riding his fourth TDF and he has one stage win so far. And if you accept that he is at the TDF for training, then he can't give optimum help to Philipsen in the lead-out. I find it strange that you are using the TDF for training when you have eight race days leading up to the race. Surely you should be in top form.

 

[yaco]

hmm, yes and no.
2 years ago he did the giro and was fatigued
last year he got ill

This year, quite honestly, there arent much stages that spell Van der Poel. There's only so much he can do here.

Yet, he goes into the break in which he has no chance of a stage victory.

 

[Peter von]

Thought Phillipsen was locked down at alpecin already or no? I think it purely comes down to the parcour of the Worlds too, if that one doesnt interest him it might be time to go bananas in the Tour is what I believe too.

I completely missed that. thought he was waiting it out and cashing in on his free agency. Oh well, guess mvp won’t go for the green jersey then 😅.

Agreed he will study the routes and decide where he can leave the biggest mark. He won’t target the worlds if he is leading out Groennewegen.

 

[Bolder]

MVDP is riding his fourth TDF and he has one stage win so far. And if you accept that he is at the TDF for training, then he can't give optimum help to Philipsen in the lead-out. I find it strange that you are using the TDF for training when you have eight race days leading up to the race. Surely you should be in top form.

I was just pointing out that if he focuses on the Tour, or at least the first week or so, he can perform at the highest level. Why he hasn't been has been a mix of bad choices (after riding the Giro) and illness, plus the OCRR this year. (and, to be honest, Jasper has been a bit of a disaster again...so maybe not motivated to put himself on the line for no results)

I think it's clear this year that he's using it as training, but I would bet almost anything that his sponsors are expecting him to be at the Tour, and show the WC and Alpecin-Dec colors. I'd trust MvdP's training plan -- I'd guess even he has peaks within peaks and he'll need to be on the knife edge of sharp to win the OCRR. I thought on the Troyes stage he was holding back...even at 95% I think he could have ridden up to the lead group at almost any time. Unless he's not feeling well and doesn't want to go into the red.

 

[James M]

I completely missed that. thought he was waiting it out and cashing in on his free agency. Oh well, guess mvp won’t go for the green jersey then 😅.

Agreed he will study the routes and decide where he can leave the biggest mark. He won’t target the worlds if he is leading out Groennewegen.

Cant wait to watch im in Paris this year I cant see who can challenge him there. The Glasgow performance was breathtaking.

 

[yaco]

Cant wait to watch im in Paris this year I cant see who can challenge him there. The Glasgow performance was breathtaking.

The Worl's is on a hilly parcours, so there will no Groenewegen, and MVP can't win on that course.

 

[stonerider]

Listen guys, you are expecting too much from MvdP at this TdF. He won all his main objectives so far this year, including CX Worlds, Flanders, Paris Roubaix. Then he signed a big contract extension with Alpecin and his main sponsor, Canyon. After that windfall of wins and cash, he went on a long vacation with Roxanne, played a lot of golf, and got really out of cycling shape. He looks a little heavier than his peak racing weight and it shows. Cycling is a cruel sport and if you don't put in the time it will show at the races.