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

[Didinho]

He looks stronger than last year for this WC. Not even breathing and riding away. His base tempo is so impressive. He really took another step since last classics.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

He looks stronger than last year for this WC. Not even breathing and riding away. His base tempo is so impressive. He really took another step since last classics.

it's mental. How is this guy still getting stronger?

 

[Didinho]

it's mental. How is this guy still getting stronger?

At the spring level I meant. Took another step then and seems to be at it again now. So "effortless" this weekend.

 

[tobydawq]

He almost crashed today because he wanted to do a tail whip.

Not his finest moment.

 

[Sciatic]

I can assure you he's able to ride around with it.

We can all see that clearly with our own eyes. This might be news to some people, but not everything is an "either/or". So it's possible it's 1) not completely healed (a medical issue) and, 2) not effecting his riding (a performance issue). And if you want to come back with something about the former doesn't matter only the latter so why mention it . . . it's just because we're curious.

 

[awavey]

Apparently his rib wasn't bruised but actually broken, it is still not healed properly, but he's able to ride around with it.

Rib van Van Der Poel was niet gekneusd, maar gebroken: "Nog altijd niet aan elkaar gegroeid" | sporza

Mathieu van der Poel was de voorbije weken de grote afwezige in de cross, maar in Maasmechelen maakt hij één week voor het WK toch zijn entree. Mét enkele vraagtekens.

sporza.be

 

[Blanco]

I prefer Valverde vs Froome as a comparison

You mean Froome vs Valverde...

 

[senna6541]

Will be interesting to see they RVV odds if MVDP and Pogi both go in healthy and on form. My money is on MVDP.

 

[MJR]

Will be interesting to see they RVV odds if MVDP and Pogi both go in healthy and on form. My money is on MVDP.

Agreed. I think with Pogi doing Flanders and a few other spring Classics this year, we're going to see the best version of vDP yet. He has to be if he doesn't wanna chase Pogi at Flanders again.

 

[Didinho]

CX legend. More to come.

 

[Spine Concept]

CX goat. More to come.

Fixed it for you. Next year he'll break the record and then call it a day.

Roger de Vlaeminck just can't hide the fact that he's seething with jealousy that MVDP has equalled his brother's record and will most likely break it next year. "If Erik lived a 'normal' life MVDP wouldn't have come even close to him". Piss off you old fart. MVDP is the perfect CX specimen and the GOAT in it. Cry me a river.

Let's play the "if" game, shall we? If MVDP didn't have some of the bad luck he's had in CX WC he'd have already broken Erik's record. If MDVP had ridden entire cyclocross seasons up to this point he'd already have broken the record of total amount of victories in CX as well. However, fortunately for us and the cycling world, he's too busy amassing monuments and kicking ass during the RR season while breaking record after record in CX with the little racing he does in that discipline annually. Don't even even get me started on MVDP's road success compared to Erik. Talk about who doesn't come close to who...

 

[Berniece]

Fixed it for you. Next year he'll break the record and then call it a day.

Roger de Vlaeminck just can't hide the fact that he's seething with jealousy that MVDP has equalled his brother's record and will most likely break it next year. "If Erik lived a 'normal' life MVDP wouldn't have come even close to him". Piss off you old fart. MVDP is the perfect CX specimen and the GOAT in CX. Cry me a river.

Let's play the "if" game, shall we? If MVDP didn't have some of the bad luck he's had in CX WC he'd have already broken Erik's record. If MDVP had ridden entire cyclocross seasons up to this point he'd already have surpassed the total amount of victories in CX as well. However, fortunately for us and the cycling world, he's too busy amassing Monuments during the RR season while breaking record after record in CX with the little racing he does in that discipline annually. Don't even even get me started on MVDP's road success compared to Erik. Talk about who doesn't come close to who...

It’s not going to happen but would’ve been funny if he broke the Roubaix record too

 

[Spine Concept]

It’s not going to happen but would’ve been funny if he broke the Roubaix record too

"If I didn't win 4, I'd have won 5". A whole nation would go into mourning.

 

[Berniece]

During a press moment of the team he said he's a bit ill, but nothing to be worried about. As the best one day racer in the world he was one of the last people to announce his schedule. And they are still not really sure what he'll be riding.

• Tirreno
• MSR
• ? E3 ?
• ? Gent-Wevelgem ?
• ? Dwars door Vlaanderen ?
• De Ronde
• Roubaix
• Tour de France
• World Championship Mountainbike
• World Championship Rwanda (Definitely not participating)

 

[AmRacer]

During a press moment of the team he said he's a bit ill, but nothing to be worried about. As the best one day racer in the world he was one of the last people to announce his schedule. And they are still not really sure what he'll be riding.

• Tirreno
• MSR
• ? E3 ?
• ? Gent-Wevelgem ?
• ? Dwars door Vlaanderen ?
• De Ronde
• Roubaix
• Tour de France
• World Championship Mountainbike
• World Championship Rwanda (Definitely not participating)

Second best...

 

[Sciatic]

During a press moment of the team he said he's a bit ill, but nothing to be worried about. As the best one day racer in the world he was one of the last people to announce his schedule. And they are still not really sure what he'll be riding.

• Tirreno
• MSR
• ? E3 ?
• ? Gent-Wevelgem ?
• ? Dwars door Vlaanderen ?
• De Ronde
• Roubaix
• Tour de France
• World Championship Mountainbike
• World Championship Rwanda (Definitely not participating)

I would think he would do 1 or 2 cobbled races prior to de Ronde?

 

[Barkintheeye]

During a press moment of the team he said he's a bit ill, but nothing to be worried about. As the best one day racer in the world he was one of the last people to announce his schedule. And they are still not really sure what he'll be riding.

• Tirreno
• MSR
• ? E3 ?
• ? Gent-Wevelgem ?
• ? Dwars door Vlaanderen ?
• De Ronde
• Roubaix
• Tour de France
• World Championship Mountainbike
• World Championship Rwanda (Definitely not participating)

I thought I heard he was not going to the Tour in order to focus on MTB?

 

[Berniece]

I would think he would do 1 or 2 cobbled races prior to de Ronde?

Probably but not decided which one, which is why all 3 are maybe’s

I thought I heard he was not going to the Tour in order to focus on MTB?

You heard wrong, he’s first doing TDF then mountainbike

 

[Sciatic]

Probably but not decided which one, which is why all 3 are maybe’s

I see, thanks!

 

[pastronef]

oh dear it sucks. MTB Worlds. another sport where my fav riders could be beaten by him.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

oh dear it sucks. MTB Worlds. another sport where my fav riders could be beaten by him.

I mean, if he decides to come in undercooked without any races again, he will come up short, again. He said he won't start XCO until after the Tour, which leaves just a singular world cup in August for him to attend, which won't do much positive for his starting position, despite fraudulent and corrupt Lappartient doing everything in his power to benefit Van der Poel in Glasgow.

If he wants to be serious about this, he comes to Nove Mesto in May.

 

[jono]

His schedule would be so much more interesting and atypical if sponsors didn't demand that he pedal around at the Tour.

 

[tobydawq]

His schedule would be so much more interesting and atypical if sponsors didn't demand that he pedal around at the Tour.

This year, he has a lot of chances to win stages. It would be madness not to go with this route.

 

[Salvarani]

His schedule would be so much more interesting and atypical if sponsors didn't demand that he pedal around at the Tour.

Is he himself interested in targeting anything else outside of the classics and worlds?

I dont think so.

It doesnt make sense to skip the Tour with that in mind. Good training camp before the fall for him if nothing else. Plus media exposure both for him and the team. It is money involved as well I would assume. Incentives for him. Bonuses.

 

[Keldergoat]

During a press moment of the team he said he's a bit ill, but nothing to be worried about. As the best one day racer in the world he was one of the last people to announce his schedule. And they are still not really sure what he'll be riding.

• Tirreno
• MSR
• ? E3 ?
• ? Gent-Wevelgem ?
• ? Dwars door Vlaanderen ?
• De Ronde
• Roubaix
• Tour de France
• World Championship Mountainbike
• World Championship Rwanda (Definitely not participating)

Wielerflits calls E3 certain and that he probably chooses either GW or DvV. Makes sense cause he absolutely adores that race and sees it as the best prep for RvV.