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

[Berniece]

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.

People are indeed expecting too much from MVDP for this TDF. But that's not because he went on holiday. He's just riding the TDF as a preparation for the Olympics. He's focusing on that.

 

[Gratemans]

People are indeed expecting too much from MVDP for this TDF. But that's not because he went on holiday. He's just riding the TDF as a preparation for the Olympics. He's focusing on that.

This. DS De Kegel said yesterday that winning a TDF stage is a major goal for Mathieu, but that they aim for his form to peak towards the last two weeks (and the OS of course).

 

[jmdirt]

Jasper extended with Team Hair Care until 2028 so I'm not sure what all the references to "when JP goes to another team" are about.

 

[jmdirt]

GREAT leadout MvdP!

 

[Blanco]

MVDP's palmares are already far superior to these folks. As for endorsement value, I think he is pretty much set for life with the contract he signed recently.

Far superior to Valverde? I don't think so...
Sagan is also debatable...
And I really like Van Der Poel.

 

[velaso montador]

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.

If he top last year's WC performance im getting a tattoo of his face on my arm.

When you count his big wins/monuments vs the rest and realize he done same numbers in far far less tries if you add that on he becomes even greater if you think about it really.

 

[Didinho]

Mathieu’s leadout numbers.

 

[Bolder]

Far superior to Valverde? I don't think so...
Sagan is also debatable...
And I really like Van Der Poel.

Sagan's 3 wcrr wins in a row is effing impressive.

 

[senna6541]

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.

I'll take nearly perfect CX season including WC, decider in team win at MSR, win at RVV, win at PR, podium at LBL and zero stages at TDF every year for the rest of career. After all, wasn't too long ago that folks were questioning whether his career was on a steep downhill decline. These are the halcyon days for MVDP fans. Enjoy them while you can.

 

[stonerider]

5 sec 1450

The heavier you are, the more max watts you can push.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Far superior to Valverde? I don't think so...
Sagan is also debatable...
And I really like Van Der Poel.

depends on how much you weight certain races.

3x rvv, 2x roubaix an 1x msr and 1x wc vs 1x rvv/pr and 3x world champs and a lot of green jerseys

Sagan won more sprints especially because he is/was a better sprinter.
But VDP is imo the better one day racer already in palmares

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

looks like a repeat of last year now iterally. Not feeling well yesterday and today, potential illness.

He had the same last year

 

[jaylew]

But VDP is imo the better one day racer already in palmares

I would agree. Adding other monument podiums:

VDP
2 x RVV
1 x MSR
1 x PR
1 x LBL

Sagan
1 x MSR
2 x PR

 

[AmRacer]

I would agree. Adding other monument podiums:

VDP
2 x RVV
1 x MSR
1 x PR
1 x LBL

Sagan
1 x MSR
2 x PR

Mathieu's lowest placing in a monument, 10.

 

[Ricco']

Mathieu's lowest placing in a monument, 10.

13th in MSR 2020

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

the dreaded autumn "spring" classics of 2020, when he started overtrained because he spent mad hours with Styby going way too hard.

 

[Blanco]

And is he already above Cancellara and Boonen? When you factor in the wins in way less tries I think you can already have a case idk. He is just a special specimen.

I'd say, in terms of one-day races, he's damn close to those two, and may even surpass them this year, especially Cancellara who I rate slightly below Boonen.

 

[staubsauger]

I'd say, in terms of one-day races, he's damn close to those two, and may even surpass them this year, especially Cancellara who I rate slightly below Boonen.

Depends also a bit on what Van der Poel is able to archive at Liege - Bastogne - Liege & Lombardy.

Because Gilbert in the end surpassed both with the variety of his palmares.

But that's partly personal valuation of course!

 

[Kwaremonster]

An underwhelming tour. Another one.

 

[scribers]

I think the lead out man thing has run its course

 

[Bolder]

An underwhelming tour. Another one.

Check back after the OCRR.

 

[Peter von]

An underwhelming tour. Another one.

Did he DNF?

 

[James M]

An underwhelming tour. Another one.

What you expect when he says prior to the Tour h e rides it as training for the games

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Check back after the OCRR.

Exactly - we know what he/ his team are doing. It worked last year, so repeat it this year.........

Anybody expecting a full on MvdP is rather naive......it's not a massive goal for him, but 3 weeks of prep/training.

 

[Medvind]

From cyclinguptodate:

Mike Teunissen, who was on a lead-out duty for green jersey wearer Biniam Girmay, expressed his surprise about the stage to the NOS. "The first hour and a half was not normal. I was still talking to Mathieu when he was caught. He said: 'I'm riding insane wattages here and it's unbelievable that they're still coming back at us. We've been riding for it the whole time'."

"I'm riding insane wattages and they're still coming back at us" - Mathieu van der Poel in disbelief during stage 13

There's was a massive battle for a spot in the breakaway in the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France. Even the likes of Mathieu van der Poel tried to enter to early moves. However with wind picking...

cyclinguptodate.com