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

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tbh, he'd have to change aero especially.
Yeah i meant if some guys get deleted from the results. I was banking a bit too much on the fact that it was short and he has the power and punch to keep a high speed up for the short course, outbalancing his aero deficit. Not unlike sprinters doing well at prologues. EDIT: he's only 4 seconds removed from the top 10.

fyi, also no Fleche Wallone and Liege Bastogne Liege for MvdP.

He rides Binck Bank Tour, AGR, Flanders, Roubaix.

I think a good decision. He has chances to win, at least stages, in Binck Bank and possibly overall. And absolutely little to no chance in FW/LBL
He's clearly been growing into form, and i think it will be hard to keep him from winning Ronde v Vlaanderen. It's just tailormade for him.
 
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As if Cross, MTB, Classics and stage hunting weren't enough. Doesn't seem like a guy who's interested in spending time in a wind tunnel and "honing" his position. Heard in say in a MTB interview that he's not one of these guys that can tell if is setup a mm off. Just get on the bike and ride.
 
As if Cross, MTB, Classics and stage hunting weren't enough. Doesn't seem like a guy who's interested in spending time in a wind tunnel and "honing" his position. Heard in say in a MTB interview that he's not one of these guys that can tell if is setup a mm off. Just get on the bike and ride.
Well, he certainly has the potential to be good at ITT. And it was his dad that said he could become WC ITT (which i do not believe). But you are certainly correct in that he doesn't really seems to care about it that much (which is quite understandable considering all the other things he's been doing).
 
It certainly may not be the best thing in terms of collecting "palmares", but hope MVDP never loses his maverick approach and doesn't ever get caged by joining a superteam. From a fan perspective it's great to watch a guy race at the highest level literally 12 months a year on 3 different bikes. Little team Alpecin delivered big at A-T. No reason they can't get invited to GT's and set the beast free to go after stages.
 
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Doubt MDVP will reach his full potential without joining a WT team - As evidenced this year he can't have the program he desires and of course he is not ridng a GT.
Like IndianCyclist suggests, it's possible he would not thrive at a WT team either, simply because he doesn't seem to like being pigeonholed. If he finds focusing on the road boring, we could see a situation where he becomes a shell of his former self, not unlike what we're seeing with Sagan now. I'm not a psychiatrist but he does seem to draw a lot of energy from being being able to do his thing, when and where he chooses.
 
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Like IndianCyclist suggests, it's possible he would not thrive at a WT team either, simply because he doesn't seem to like being pigeonholed. If he finds focusing on the road boring, we could see a situation where he becomes a shell of his former self, not unlike what we're seeing with Sagan now. I'm not a psychiatrist but he does seem to draw a lot of energy from being being able to do his thing, when and where he chooses.

I am convinced a WT team would allow him to do cyclocross and mountain biking - There is no guarantee that he ever ride a GT with Alpecin Fenix, even though they have a decent squad.
 
I am convinced a WT team would allow him to do cyclocross and mountain biking - There is no guarantee that he ever ride a GT with Alpecin Fenix, even though they have a decent squad.
I'm honestly wondering if it will be as easy as you assume. Mathieu isn't a cheap rider, not many teams are going to pay top dollar to see him off to do MTB in the spring/summer, and not have his undivided attention on the road during an important period, when the team and their sponsor have little to gain in MTB. For cyclocross it's a different matter, because that can be combined perfectly, there is little to no overlap. But i'm not sure you'll find a lot of teams that are going attract one of the top earners in cycling, and wave him off for a considerable period during the road season.

I'm not saying it's impossible, or that there is no team/sponsors that would have interest in MTB, but i think a lot of WT teams would simply pass up the opportunity. Even if there is no direct overlap between races, it still plays a role in preparation, freshness etc, and every moment he's on his MTB bike, is time he can't spent on his ITT bike for instance. So his interests and those of the team would need to align perfectly for it to happen, and i don't think there are that many WT teams that fit the bill.

I thought there were rumours that Alpecin Fenix had interests in turning WT themselves. That might actually be his best option still.
 
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@yaco

New info:
Alpecin-Fenix: "Won't give up on the Tour for a mountain bike race"


Will Mathieu van der Poel and his teammates race one class higher soon?

What will happen to CCC's WorldTour license? That is what concerns Alpecin-Fenix. Mathieu van der Poel's team is not interested in a merger with another team, but is thinking about its own future. "It would be sour if that license would go through a trick to a team that is below us in the UCI ranking", says team manager Philip Roodhooft, who dreams of participating in the Tour.
The rumor about CCC's WorldTour license came up in our Tour broadcast a few days ago, but Alpecin-Fenix team manager Philip Roodhooft now tells Sporza that it will remain rumors. "There has certainly been no concrete contact with CCC. We are not negotiating," he replies.

"We did ask the UCI a few weeks ago what the consequences would be if a WorldTour team disappeared. In principle, the license would go back to the UCI and not just another team. But with a merger, the license would be The current CCC was also created after a merger. So, we could consider the WorldTour license itself, but we are not open to a merger. "

"However, it would be annoying for us if the license goes through such a merger to a team that is behind us on the UCI team ranking", Roodhooft continues. "Then you get what happened with Israel Start-Up Nation last year."

"We are in a very good sportive position ( Alpecin-Fenix is 15th in the UCI ranking, ed. ), But you would almost want to err on the side of caution. budget are not in the front row of interested teams. "
"A merger is therefore out of the question", explains Philip Roodhooft, "but it does concern us what will happen with that license. That has a major impact on us."

"And to be honest, we have a hard time seeing it. Nobody shows the back of their tongue. I fear that we will only know when it has already happened. If the license remains in the peloton through an artifice, we would not to be happy."

But doesn't the WorldTour story scare Alpecin-Fenix off? "No", the team manager answers. "Although we do not want to fall into the trap of wanting to participate at a level that we cannot afford in terms of budget."

"Our current structure works very well and the WorldTour has more obligations, so the budget must also be increased structurally. We should discuss this with our partners first."

"Don't give up Mathieu's Olympic dream, but wouldn't give up on Tour"
WorldTour or not, Alpecin-Fenix hopes to be there next year in the Tour de France. Even though that doesn't quite work out with Mathieu van der Poel's Olympic plans.

Philip Roodhooft: "We hope to be able to combine it. Suppose there is an invitation from Tour organizer ASO, then we do not want to ignore it for that one mountain bike race on that one day. We do not want to give up Mathieu's Olympic dream, but we can do that. we don't make it to our sponsors. "

Van der Poel will not go to the World Cup in Italy next week. Roodhooft thinks this is logical. "It is a busy season and from what we hear the course is very difficult. It would be different if it came at the end of a certain period, but now it falls in the middle of the preparation for the classics. He wants his chances there. don't mortgage. "

"The chance to perform at that World Cup is not great enough for Mathieu to change his preparation for it. The program is already full enough and it does not stop because he also has ambitions in the winter."
 
@yaco

New info:

Understandable, but it's actually a tough read for me.
"Yeah, it's your dream, it's the Olympics, but remember who pays you."

Well, maybe Mathieu does not even see it that way, maybe he'd be very happy to do the Tour...
But I did not like it.
 
This team "is" Mathieu, i think they will no
This virus really did a number on MVDP's season and even short-term career plans. Kind've of a lost year in the middle of his prime. Likely would have checked off Olympic Gold and MTB WC. Now everything has basically been pushed back a year (including a GT entry). Also, pretty clear that he's a bit old school in that he needs to race his way in to form as well. That was classic MVDP on Sunday though. In the break all day, and there is nobody like him when he can smell the finish line. Seems to be able to go very, very deep.
 
Lost year? I totally see what you're saying but RvV is prime for the taking for him. He should be at peak condition by then too. A RvV and/or PR would make it an excellent success.

To your second point, I definitely felt the adrenaline of AGR watching that finale though.
 
I think this is planned between Roodhooft and Mathieu.

It was already been said that Van der Poel will keep combining Road and MTB until the Paris olympics.

What I see from that is that if ASO gives the team a wildcard for 2021, he will not prioritize Tokyo over that and will change the Olympic goal to Paris.
 
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