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

[classicomano]

A much needed kick. Beat Gilbert in de sprint today in the Tour of Belgium.

 

[yaco]

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

 

[Ricco']

Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

Yes, van Aert has confirmed that he will do all the cobbled classics in 2018 - but he will also do a part of the cross-season.

 

[yaco]

Good to see more talented riders on the road - These two could do serious damage in 2 years if they commit to the road - In saying that how many invites will their teams receive.

 

[Ricco']

Re: Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

Yes, van Aert has confirmed that he will do all the cobbled classics in 2018 - but he will also do a part of the cross-season.

Is he going to do only a part of the cross season in 2017/2018 or in 2018/2019?

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

Yes, van Aert has confirmed that he will do all the cobbled classics in 2018 - but he will also do a part of the cross-season.

Is he moving teams then?

 

[Ricco']

Re: Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

Yes, van Aert has confirmed that he will do all the cobbled classics in 2018 - but he will also do a part of the cross-season.

Is he moving teams then?

Probably not, but I assume Verandas will be invited to all the Flanders Classics plus it might be attractive for ASO to have them in Roubaix.

 

[King Boonen]

I'd be surprised if they got a PR invite just because Van Aert is there. Sure he's a brilliant cross racer and good on the road but I think he'll need some good WT results first to justify his team getting a place just because of him. Would be good to see him there though.

 

[IndianCyclist]

They are somebody who could give Sagan a run for his money after GVA becomes old

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

And Van Aert finished third - These two are super talents - Will they ever commit to the road.

Some reports said that Van der Poel and Van Aert will shift to road in 2018. I think that in Van Aert's case it was himself who said that.

Yes, van Aert has confirmed that he will do all the cobbled classics in 2018 - but he will also do a part of the cross-season.

Wout said he'll do a full cross season through Worlds and then switch so he won't be skipping too many crosses.

Always awesome to see MVDP get a win on the road, especially against a guy as good as Gilbert! I think he'll postpone a more substantial move to the road until he's won at the very least one more Worlds title.

 

[yaco]

And Van Aert finishes third in the ITT 14 seconds behind Brandle and Martin - Leads the GC by 10 seconds.

 

[jaylew]

So, MVP wins stage 2 and then doesn't start stage 3? Anyone know why?

 

[Breh]

He's participating in a MTB WorldCup race I believe.

 

[Ricco']

Yes, he's racing the XCO in Albstadt on Sunday (starting from the front row due to the Nove Mesto result, that's the reason why he went to Germany after all).

 

[Kwibus]

Previous race he started in 92st position and finished 8 which is amazing.

 

[jaylew]

The guy is so talented. I wonder what discipline he's going to focus on, ultimately.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

A much needed kick. Beat Gilbert in de sprint today in the Tour of Belgium.

Just watched it. That celebration!

 

[Echoes]

I guess you really misunderstood Wout’s comments, gentlemen. Nuyens and Albert made it very clear that he was still a cyclocrosser first and foremost, the news already came a few months ago... That’s even where Crelan wants to see him. He never said he only wanted to race the next cross season part-time. The Nationals and Worlds still remain his main objectives for next year and so will be all three ranking series (World Cup, Superprestige and DVV Trophy). He will race all of them from October to February. What however was said is that he won’t race as much as last season but as a matter of fact last season he raced over 40 crosses. That’s insane for a 22-year-old kid. Several times during that season I read his coach Mark Lamberts ringing the alarm bell: “Wout races too much”. Indeed he ended it on his knees… So obviously he had to cut down on his calendar (on non-ranking events) and that would mean about 30 crosses instead of 40 of them but that would’ve been anyway, irrespective of his road ambition. Veranda-Willems will get a wild card for the next Tour of Flanders and most of the Belgian semis. They’ve already realised that it will be fighting to get one for Paris-Roubaix but why not? His participation at the Omloop is also considered but even that would be hard because the next Cyclocross Worlds will be held only three weeks before Omloop, one week later than this year’s. So that’s for sure that he remains a crosser first and foremost. His participation at some classics in 2018 will only be testing. So if you want to appreciate his talent on a regular basis you’ll need to watch cyclocross. I cannot understand why the non-Belgian world does not care about it. As Michel Wuyts put it, this sport is so telegenic. By the way, with regards to Van der Poel I note that by the end of last year he said to the press that his 2016 mountainbike campaign was strictly driven by the possibility to race Rio and that it wouldn’t interest him in the non-Olympic years. Yet I’m surprising him getting back to MTB winning an MTB stage race in La Roche en Ardenne with 2 stage wins (and 2nd to the 3rd one) and then an 8th place in the first World Cup event in Nové Město, while 90th of the starting grid, involved in an early crash (inevitable when you are so far away) and had problems with his derailleur, already trailing Schurter by 2’. Some say among the greatest MTB performance ever ! And now he can afford to leave the Tour of Belgium on a stage win in order to race the 2nd World Cup event in Albstadt tomorrow. He’s already claimed he will race the MTB Worlds next Autumn. So I guess for him to you’re gonna have to wait before seeing him fully dedicated to the road work.

 

[Cordi333]

What however was said is that he won’t race as much as last season but as a matter of fact last season he raced over 40 crosses. That’s insane for a 22-year-old kid. Several times during that season I read his coach Mark Lamberts ringing the alarm bell: “Wout races too much”. Indeed he ended it on his knees… So obviously he had to cut down on his calendar (on non-ranking events) and that would mean about 30 crosses instead of 40 of them but that would’ve been anyway, irrespective of his road ambition.

You're right, Echoes. There there is the example of Mathieu, with 3 knee surgeries in just two years.

But just one detail, I think Wout (or his environment) said that he will skip low level crosses, not only for his health, but also to reduce fatigue in order to have a better debut in the classics. He goes to the classics to learn, but wants to go in a good shape.

 

[Ricco']

What however was said is that he won’t race as much as last season but as a matter of fact last season he raced over 40 crosses. That’s insane for a 22-year-old kid. Several times during that season I read his coach Mark Lamberts ringing the alarm bell: “Wout races too much”. Indeed he ended it on his knees… So obviously he had to cut down on his calendar (on non-ranking events) and that would mean about 30 crosses instead of 40 of them but that would’ve been anyway, irrespective of his road ambition.

You're right, Echoes. There there is the example of Mathieu, with 3 knee surgeries in just two years.

The races probably have some influence on that but the main reason for the knee surgeries were the crashes, mainly the one he had on Avenir'2015, which I believe was the first surgery. Then the other 2 were related to that issue (I think the 2nd one was due to overcompensation on his other knee and the 3rd was on the 1st knee again).

 

[Ricco']

Not road related, but he started this week beating Gilbert on a sprint and finished battling it out with Nino Schuerter on the MTB. Awesome race, 2nd place in the end, but he had some problem (probably a small crash) when in the leading group which made him lost something like 17 seconds to Schuerter and Flueckinger. After that Flueckinger crashed and he maintained his 2nd position, never losing much time to Schuerter (the maximum gap was something like 31 seconds).

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

Not road related, but he started this week beating Gilbert on a sprint and finished battling it out with Nino Schuerter on the MTB. Awesome race, 2nd place in the end, but he had some problem (probably a small crash) when in the leading group which made him lost something like 17 seconds to Schuerter and Flueckinger. After that Flueckinger crashed and he maintained his 2nd position, never losing much time to Schuerter (the maximum gap was something like 31 seconds).

I've/we've been discussing this young stud over in the dirt thread too. He's got a great motor and smooth handling skills.

 

[glassmoon]

Re:

Not road related, but he started this week beating Gilbert on a sprint and finished battling it out with Nino Schuerter on the MTB. Awesome race, 2nd place in the end, but he had some problem (probably a small crash) when in the leading group which made him lost something like 17 seconds to Schuerter and Flueckinger. After that Flueckinger crashed and he maintained his 2nd position, never losing much time to Schuerter (the maximum gap was something like 31 seconds).

Absolutely amazing ride in Albstadt XCO. Racing with Nino and Fluckinger until the crash putting rest of the specialists into the dust behind them. He's definitely podium guarantee if starting from the front. Too bad he'll skip
(MTB) races cause of the road though. It could cost him better starting position.
But I guess, he'll eventually end up as a full-time road pro - with those performances and age. Maybe as soon as 2018 season.
Great talent.

 

[classicomano]

Win nr. 2 on the road winning the uphill sprint in Boucles de la Mayenne after coming in 3rd in the prologue and 2nd in the flat stage. Also takes leader jersey. Hooray!