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

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Cyclocross for MvdP is like the Giro for Pogi - just a warm up ride or two.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racin...es-in-zone-2-helping-or-hindering-cyclo-cross

"Yes, it was a great victory today, but I preferred to save myself and stay in zone two throughout the race. Because I plan to do some high intensity training this week,” Van der Poel said post-race. How charming, he wasn’t even really trying, just staying in zone two. He could have had a chat, or stopped for a coffee halfway round. He went on to win at Mol in the Superprestige series on Monday, too.

Van der Poel’s main goals are not in the sand or mud of December, but on the cobbles and bergs of March, April and May. That’s not just me speculating, that’s what Van der Poel’s dad, Adrie - himself a former CX world champion - thinks too. “I think the difference is that those guys ride such a tough road program,” he told Wielerflits at the weekend. “You can also see it uphill. They can ride one, two teeth bigger and then they just ride away from the rest. That road program plays a role.”
 
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Cyclocross for MvdP is like the Giro for Pogi - just a warm up ride or two.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racin...es-in-zone-2-helping-or-hindering-cyclo-cross

He just shows up in his Lamborghini and wipes the floor with everyone

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Interesting interview. Among other things, he'd like to compete for the 2025 MTB WC "als ik mag kiezen" (if I can choose for myself). Won't ride LBL, looking to do Paris-Nice instead of Tirreno. Doesn't find much enjoyment in riding the Tour, other than doing leadouts for Philipsen.
 
I imagine Pidcock will target the Mountain bike MTB's in 2025. Reckon Pidcock may have the measure of MVDP in this discipline.
A Pidcock-MVDP battle throughout the XCO season could be more interesting than what either rider might otherwise achieve on the road beyond the spring.

Also, though the messages have been mixed about his priorities with his new team, it would be ironic if Pidcock started treating MTB as an afterthought just as MVDP was reinvesting in the discipline.
 
Yeah, we've never really seen a proper season long battle between them; 2 World Cups, and the Olympics in 2021. Then the Worlds and Olympic test event in 2023.......
We haven't seen a good battle because MvdP hasn't been able to finish a MTB race without crashing out in 3+ years. He will have to ride his MTB, a lot, in training if he wants to win in that discipline.

He needs to set up his MTB bike like Pidcock, make the pedals and saddle contact points match his road bike or CX bikes so he doesn't injure himself while switching between bikes. Previously, when dealing with back issues, he blamed riding the MTB with aggravating the issue. Crank length, saddle height, seat setback should all match. This was a bike fit problem that could be fixed with a little attention to detail.
 
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I wonder if he's actually seen the Crans-Montana course, as used in the World Cup last season. It's one of the most technical courses we've seen recently.........He'll need time on the MTB if he wants that title.
Is it this course / race that you refer to?
View: https://youtu.be/6MIFWFH3tIE


Shows what a very different sport MTB is to Cyclocross. There's no easy way to transition over. I wouldn't know how much time MVDP dedicated to MTB in advance of the Olympics but given the outcome reasonable answer is too little.

Then also the consequences of riding too aggressive are more in MTB than in cyclocross. If you puncture your loss is going to be bigger and if you wipe out risks are that you're not getting up again.

I hope MVDP makes it this time but it doesn't look easy. He'll wipe the floor with Pidcock and alikes on most classic races and basically on every cyclocross course but MTB is such a different thing. In recent years has there been any really successful MTB riders going over to CX or Road?
 
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