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

[senna6541]

I bet VDP would rather make it 4 with Enduro.

 

[senna6541]

While I agree that he was one of the strongest if not the strongest on that day I’d be careful about throwing words like “wins Flanders easy” around. It’s never easy to win a monument, and staying upright is part of the game.

Moreover, who’s to say he would have followed Bettiol’s attack initially and not just have decided to bide his time like the rest of the favorites? I mean, yes, he’s not one to just sit still if he has the legs but still. We simply cannot know what his train of thought would have been in that given situation. He might have also left it too late.

Did he have the legs to win? Obviously yes. But there are more factors that come into play like the aforementioned ones. In cycling, as is often the case, the strongest doesn’t always win.
[/QUO

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

For those fluent in Dutch, here is an interview with Mathieu (first part, before Remco):
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=209397636794188

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The gist of it:

Van der Poel: "Was on schedule for Ronde and Roubaix, but it has become Fortnite"

Mathieu van der Poel was on the bike more than 200 kilometers yesterday in full corona crisis. The Dutch all-rounder hopes to make something of the season. "If all goes well, I still have 10 to 15 years to ride the classics," he said in our Facebook Live yesterday.

"Have already had my competition"

Would Mathieu van der Poel mind having to ride the (cobble) classics in the autumn? "I certainly can. If it goes, of course. But no one knows how long this situation will last. I went mountain biking anyway, so it will be a bit of a puzzle."

"If I could choose, I would let monuments take place and maybe some Walloon classics. Then all riders will be discussed."

Is it a mentally difficult period? "Not really. It happens everywhere. Of course I was able to ride my motocross in the winter months and so I have already had my competition. It is more difficult for the real road cyclists, I think."

"If all goes well, I still have 10 to 15 years to ride the classics. The situation is *** for everyone, but fortunately we can still cycle outside. I was able to turn the knob quickly. just don't feel like worrying. "

"I'm not working towards anything for now. It's just a matter of staying busy and maintaining basic fitness. Once we have a date, we can work towards something specific again."

"I was on schedule"

How was Van der Poel's shape before the entire crisis erupted? "I was a bit sick in the Algarve and after that I worked very well on an internship in Spain. I was mainly working on the diptych Tour of Flanders - Paris-Roubaix, the rest might be a little early. I was on schedule, but Nobody will know that now. "

"I can imagine that certain riders find it a very difficult period and seek help from a mental coach. Especially riders who have to prove themselves because they are without a contract. This situation is therefore even more annoying for them."

"I am afraid of getting the coronavirus somewhere. The lungs can be permanently affected and that is not a good thing for an athlete. I have already read things about the virus and you do not know what to believe and what not. to me that people who know nothing about it also give their opinion. "

Does Van der Poel now help more in the household?

"I helped hosing down the garden chairs yesterday, but I have to say that my girlfriend does almost everything in the household. I am quite lazy about that myself and I play a lot of Fortnite."

Will you ever try to win the Tour?

"I don't think that's within my means. When I ride the Tour, I have to focus on other things like trying to win the green jersey. Winning the Tour is beyond my potential, I think."

What do you think of the capabilities of Remco Evenepoel?

"I drove him in the Tour of the Algarve and he was quite impressive there. He also wins that time trial in the end. It is difficult to say what he can win. The Tour is something else, of course, it's a three-week game. But he can certainly win a big round. "

"I certainly couldn't do what Remco does at that age. I drove between the pros in the field at the time, but that is different from what he does on the road now. I look at it with wide eyes."

Is the Ghent Six Days something for you?

"I've driven on the track before, but never in 't Kuipke. It doesn't really appeal to me. It's all very hectic and very difficult if you've never done it before."

 

[tobydawq]

He was able to ride his motocross during the winter??

Admission of guilt!! Lock him up!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He was able to ride his motocross during the winter??

Admission of guilt!! Lock him up!

No wonder Evenepoel won Algarve, van der Poel drove him!

 

[senna6541]

Thanks for the translation Logic. VDP's got a good head on his shoulders and clearly learns from his wins and losses - the sign of a true champion who will continue to explore to find his own limit. It would have been incredible to see him ripping up the cobbles this spring, but we'll have to wait. I would guess the next big question for him is whether the Tokyo Olympics go as scheduled - hard to believe they will...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Thanks for the translation Logic. VDP's got a good head on his shoulders and clearly learns from his wins and losses - the sign of a true champion who will continue to explore to find his own limit. It would have been incredible to see him ripping up the cobbles this spring, but we'll have to wait. I would guess the next big question for him is whether the Tokyo Olympics go as scheduled - hard to believe they will...

In case it wasn't clear, it was just a google translate translation ;-)

 

[glassmoon]

Well... he definitely won't be MTB Olympic Champion this year.
(OG are being moved to 2021)

 

[KZD]

I think this could mean that he will skip the Tour next season delaying an eventual debut to 2022.

I still hope some of the classics will be ridden in September/October.

 

[pastronef]

I think this could mean that he will skip the Tour next season delaying an eventual debut to 2022.

I still hope some of the classics will be ridden in September/October.

I´d like that. let the French teams get those wild cards in 2021 too. then for 2022 many things could change also in number of teams or sponsorships

 

[glassmoon]

Hopefully Nino will still be in top of his game (he'll be again a bit older after all) and we'll see an epic battle for the gold (with MVP win of course)...

 

[KZD]

Pretty bad day for Mathieu.
After the MTB World Championships in Absladt were cancelled, rumour is that ASO won't offer an extra spot for Pro-Continental teams which means that the classics are his only remaining goal for the season, if races still take place of course. This also likely means that he will only make a Tour debut in 2022.

However with the WC cyclo cross title his season is already saved.

 

[yaco]

MVP needs to move to a WT team if he wants the certainty of riding a GT.

 

[ooo]

In which cycling discipline he will get his next elite race win?

 

[42x16ss]

MVP needs to move to a WT team if he wants the certainty of riding a GT.

Does he really want to? He may be perfectly happy with trashing the classics.

His interviews suggest he's looking to follow his dad more than his grandfather.

 

[42x16ss]

Pretty bad day for Mathieu.
After the MTB World Championships in Absladt were cancelled, rumour is that ASO won't offer an extra spot for Pro-Continental teams which means that the classics are his only remaining goal for the season, if races still take place of course. This also likely means that he will only make a Tour debut in 2022.

However with the WC cyclo cross title his season is already saved.

Here's hoping that Mathieu repays the ASO by wreaking total destruction on the classics.

 

[pastronef]

Here's hoping that Mathieu repays the ASO by wreaking total destruction on the classics.

MVDP is a star. but ASO does not need him so desperately. mine is not a dig to MVDP or his talent and importance, but as long as ASO can run the TDF this year, that´s what matters, no time for other questions. when the pandemic ends, then they can begin thinking about all the rest too.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

on the other hand his classics program is bigger than it was before. He might even ride races as LBL and Lombardia , although I do not believe he can achieve anything in those. Not with current weight. He's no climber.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Does he really want to? He may be perfectly happy with trashing the classics.

His interviews suggest he's looking to follow his dad more than his grandfather.

Well... you can ride a GT with other goals than a GC ofcourse. But i agree, he should marvel in one day races more than GT's, regardless of green jerseys or stagewins.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Mathieu won the Container Cup. A series of 7 challenges inside a container (a Belgian TV show). Running, rowing, cycling, monkeybar, biatlon shooting, benchpress, golf. He beat the previous best time of Greg Van Avermaet by 30 seconds. Only Wout van Aert was left that could do better than Mathieu. Van Aert smashed the cycling test, outdoing Mathieu's record by 10 seconds over 3km. Wout also was the second best in rowing (10 seconds slower than bronze WC medallist rowing Tim Brys, and dozens of seconds ahead of the rest), but specifically shooting and golfing was disastrous for Wout (0 targets shot, and only 48m in golf).

At Benchpress, Mathieu showed his left elbow which has a strange "twist" in it, only after a certain point/angle, can he put pressure on it. An old injury, he broke his elbow once.
At cycling, Mathieu had a max heartrate of 195. He said the cycling had gone perfectly, and with that heartrate, it was obvious he went all out. He also said he went as deep as when he won Amstel (regarding that heart rate). Before the test he said he was in very good shape, but had not done intensity training lately.
According to the infoscreen, Mathieu's heartrate at rest: 36bpm.

I have no idea if this will be georestricted or not, but the broadcast will be on youtube tomorrow: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcmPO3ZN9_3BBy0jUPRYflrylVfx152th

 

[GuntherL]

He's a special one. A winner's mentality and he seems to do it with little effort. I envy him.

 

[BlueRoads]

A special one? Now I'm not his biggest fan, but he seems more agreeable than Mou

 

[Jagartrott]

MVP actually lives in a neighbouring village, and WVA two villages away from me, and though I go out biking every day, I've never actually come across them. They would be happy to sit on my wheel for a bit, I'm sure.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

MVP actually lives in a neighbouring village, and WVA two villages away from me, and though I go out biking every day, I've never actually come across them. They would be happy to sit on my wheel for a bit, I'm sure.

Which brand speedpedelec did you buy?