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

[Zoef-Lightning]

I believe MvdP was fine until his team started racing him more in road stage races. He's a one day specialist and stage racing just leaves him weakened. And right now, his body would never hold up for a 3 week Grand Tour. All this talk about a run at the Green Jersey in the Tour is just foolishness.

But road racing is is not exactly very taxing on the back. Cyclocross on mud course, with running passages, and mountain bike with the jumps and the rocks, are. And again, if you combine all those disciplines during a season, sometimes alternately, and ride on a cross moto during the intermediate season, well, you will be overloaded. He should leave the mountain biking. And limit the cyclocross to a few races in the winter. And if that is not enough, then he must also give up the cyclocross. A cyclingcareer on road is far more important.
But if MVDP stays stubborn, he could be completely sidelined in a few years

 

[lemon cheese cake]

But road racing is is not exactly very taxing on the back. Cyclocross on mud course, with running passages, and mountain bike with the jumps and the rocks, are. And again, if you combine all those disciplines during a season, sometimes alternately, and ride on a cross moto during the intermediate season, well, you will be overloaded. He should leave the mountain biking. And limit the cyclocross to a few races in the winter. And if that is not enough, then he must also give up the cyclocross. A cyclingcareer on road is far more important.
But if MVDP stays stubborn, he could be completely sidelined in a few years

At the current rate of things I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up a bit like Marianne Vos in 2015 prior to the 2016 Olympics when she was looking to try and ride XC for Rio. She had one injury, came back with another injury and then had to stop cx due to overtraining. VDP might be heading for a stage like that if he isn't careful and is always trying to play catch up in what seems like shorter and shorter time spaces.

 

[KZD]

I think Van der Poel should really think about stopping mountain bike, at this point it might ruin the chance of him having a great road cycling career and not just a good one.

 

[DaLong]

I think Van der Poel should really think about stopping mountain bike, at this point it might ruin the chance of him having a great road cycling career and not just a good one.

I don't follow CX and MTB closely. Do you think their fans say the same thing about him on the Road? I.e. he should stop road cycling if he wants to become the next Nino, etc.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

That's right, give up his favourite discipline, so you can all enjoy him on the road........ He won't be the same rider just doing one discipline.....

 

[senna6541]

I believe MvdP was fine until his team started racing him more in road stage races. He's a one day specialist and stage racing just leaves him weakened. And right now, his body would never hold up for a 3 week Grand Tour. All this talk about a run at the Green Jersey in the Tour is just foolishness.

What? Stonerider, you're obviously a WVA fan enjoying MVDP's current struggles, but you come across like you are either just trying get MVDP fans' goat, or you know absolutely nothing about endurance sports. Have you ever raced a bike on or off road?

 

[tobydawq]

I don't follow CX and MTB closely. Do you think their fans say the same thing about him on the Road? I.e. he should stop road cycling if he wants to become the next Nino, etc.

Are there really people who care about MTB from a fan perspective but not road cycling?

 

[Gwbert]

Are there really people who care about MTB from a fan perspective but not road cycling?

Yes!! I ride with a bunch of mtbers and they can tell you all about Nino Schurter but they couldn’t care less about the road

 

[Wyndbrook]

Van der Poel should take time recover and get fit.
Then ride whatever he likes.
He is in the enviable position of being able to do so.

 

[stonerider]

What? Stonerider, you're obviously a WVA fan enjoying MVDP's current struggles, but you come across like you are either just trying get MVDP fans' goat, or you know absolutely nothing about endurance sports. Have you ever raced a bike on or off road?

Haha! Yes I started racing road, moved to CX, then moved to XC MTB. I'm actually a big fan of MvdP's talent but I'm pissed at how he and his team are screwing up his ability to maximize his talents. He's racing too much on his bike without the proper recovery and physio rehab necessary.

 

[stonerider]

Yes!! I ride with a bunch of mtbers and they can tell you all about Nino Schurter but they couldn’t care less about the road

Nino Schurter is an example of a racer who does tons of off the bike work with core and weights to keep his body strong and fit. As a result he's had a long and glorious career and is still going strong even now at age 35. As MvdP is currently going, he'll never make it that long.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Yes!! I ride with a bunch of mtbers and they can tell you all about Nino Schurter but they couldn’t care less about the road

yeah but they are actual mtbers, not fans who aren’t participants. all sports have participants who follow the elite level, few sports have a significant fan base outside of that.

 

[senna6541]

Inaccurate comment

VDP was not quite on the top level in Ronde 2021, he was a little bit fatigued. You can see from his hr and power data.

In Ronde 2020 VDP did more pulling, lead onto the final climbs and lead out the sprint. He was stronger than Van aert (barely) that day.

He destroyed Alaphilippe, Tadej, Wva on strade and again in tirreno. By flanders he was fatigue.

In roubaix he was stupid, pulling like he was Colbrellis teammate.

Nino Schurter is an example of a racer who does tons of off the bike work with core and weights to keep his body strong and fit. As a result he's had a long and glorious career and is still going strong even now at age 35. As MvdP is currently going, he'll never make it that long.

Haha! Yes I started racing road, moved to CX, then moved to XC MTB. I'm actually a big fan of MvdP's talent but I'm pissed at how he and his team are screwing up his ability to maximize his talents. He's racing too much on his bike without the proper recovery and physio rehab necessary.

Okay, fair enough, but I'm pretty sure MVDP is doing as much off the bike work as he possibly can - obviously it's impossible for him to do the amount of strength work (let alone recovery) as someone like Nino can do. MVDP is a freak of nature and he has done, and is trying to do, things that nobody else can. Was watching Baal on GCN today and they were going on and on about Wout's 7 wins in a row? Long ways to go before he gets to MVDP's 33 straight.

 

[Wvv]

Adrie just got interviewed during the cross in Gullegem. He confirmed that Mathieu's back problems are still very present, and that he more than likely won't appear in CX anymore this season. He even prefers to sacrifice the start of the road season in order to see everything cured, but he has confidence in the team regarding these decisions.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Inaccurate comment

VDP was not quite on the top level in Ronde 2021, he was a little bit fatigued. You can see from his hr and power data.

In Ronde 2020 VDP did more pulling, lead onto the final climbs and lead out the sprint. He was stronger than Van aert (barely) that day.

He destroyed Alaphilippe, Tadej, Wva on strade and again in tirreno. By flanders he was fatigue.

In roubaix he was stupid, pulling like he was Colbrellis teammate.

We clearly saw a different Flanders in 2020. Van Aert, when in the lead, always made a much greater effort than VDP. Oh, and when VDP lose, it's every time due to fatigue or a mistake ? And what happened in the Strade 2020 where he lost minutes, and in Milan-San Remo later on ?
VDP is a fantastic rider, maybe the most talented of the peloton. But there are very rarely races where all the riders are in top form. But admit that VDP is occasionally beaten on its value. As during the first stage of the Tour 2021 through Alaphilippe. Or when he lost the yellow jersey. At least, that day, Van Aert defended his second place until the finish and possibly the opportunity to conquer the yellow jersey. VDP was dropped earlier and gave up.

 

[glassmoon]

Adrie just got interviewed during the cross in Gullegem. He confirmed that Mathieu's back problems are still very present, and that he more than likely won't appear in CX anymore this season. He even prefers to sacrifice the start of the road season in order to see everything cured, but he has confidence in the team regarding these decisions.

i'm no expert but isn't his "disc problem" something that can't really be fully cured (without surgery)? i read somewhere that he's been having (reoccurring) back problems since his junior era...

 

[saunaking]

Long ways to go before he gets to MVDP's 33 straight.

Are you F#^@&&ing kidding me???
I guess i gotta go look this up.

edit - holy ***!! then after the streak broken he wins 15 in a row again!!!

 

[senna6541]

Are you F#^@&&ing kidding me???
I guess i gotta go look this up.

edit - holy ***!! then after the streak broken he wins 15 in a row again!!!

Yep. Completely different level. The Wout fans hate it, but when you look at the actual data, MVDP is just better when they line up in the same race, with the same objective, on anywhere near equal form...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

True, Wout fans probably hate it when their favorite rider is sidelined for an entire winter due to a nasty injury, but i doubt they were concerned with Mathieu's streak at that time. I guess Van Aert had a different objective then. Not that that was anything new, since he shifted his focus more towards the spring instead of the winter, before he rode his first Strade in a Crelan shirt.

 

[Cookster15]

But road racing is is not exactly very taxing on the back.

My .02c worth:

Absolutely not true. The damage is caused over time - not sudden like contact sports - or CX/MTB. I had surgery for collapsed L4, L5 and S1 disc surgery 4 years ago - cause: road cycling - the strive to be as aero as possible and lower and lower stem heights just exacerbates the stresses on the lower back. I'm older than MVDP but I don't do the kms that pros do. Of course there can be hereditary problems and it seems that is a likely factor too.

I also disagree with the view of glassmoon. I don't know the full extent of MVDP's condition but I would be surprised if he can't get this sorted with the right help - he is still quite young.

Lumbar Spine Anatomy Video

Learn how the lumbar spinal discs function and how lower back conditions can cause back pain and/or radiating pain.

www.spine-health.com

 

[glassmoon]

My .02c worth:

Absolutely not true. The damage is caused over time - not sudden like contact sports - or CX/MTB. I had surgery for collapsed L4, L5 and S1 disc surgery 4 years ago - cause: road cycling - the strive to be as aero as possible and lower and lower stem heights just exacerbates the stresses on the lower back. I'm older than MVDP but I don't do the kms that pros do. Of course there can be hereditary problems and it seems that is a likely factor too.

I also disagree with the view of glassmoon. I don't know the full extent of MVDP's condition but I would be surprised if he can't get this sorted with the right help - he is still quite young.

Lumbar Spine Anatomy Video

Learn how the lumbar spinal discs function and how lower back conditions can cause back pain and/or radiating pain.

www.spine-health.com

Oh... he can probably sort it out for now, but I'm afraid it won't be a permanent 100% fix (if continues to race and only with conservative treatment). It's just my guess since I don't know the full extent of his condition of course. But the indication that it is a rather long term "injury" is kinda telling - since he most likely tried to treat it in the past. But I will be very happy if I'm mistaken on that one After all, he is my favorite rider of current era.

 

[Ricco']

Cross season is officially off. Has to rest for the swelling to go away so at the moment there is still incertainty about when he resumes training and when is able to return on the road.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

One hopes he gets the rest needed, and comes back when he's ready.....no rushing back for the spring classics. It's easy with hindsight, but coming back for Road Worlds & P-R looks misguided......if he'd had a complete rest after pulling out of the MTB Worlds in late August, he may now be recovered.

 

[Bonimenier]

True, Wout fans probably hate it when their favorite rider is sidelined for an entire winter due to a nasty injury, but i doubt they were concerned with Mathieu's streak at that time. I guess Van Aert had a different objective then. Not that that was anything new, since he shifted his focus more towards the spring instead of the winter, before he rode his first Strade in a Crelan shirt.

To be fair 2/3 of the streak was completed in the winter prior to van Aert's crash.

 

[Boes]

It's easy with hindsight, but coming back for Road Worlds & P-R looks misguided......if he'd had a complete rest after pulling out of the MTB Worlds in late August, he may now be recovered.

This!

I just can't understand how teams can mistreat their stars in such a way. This is something that already started before his fall in the olympics. We're now over 5 months further and it still isn't sorted out.

• returning for PRB and worlds was a mistake
• returning to CX to soon after that was another big mistake
• returning in one the 'heaviest' CX races in the mud of Dendermonde was a third mistake

I really hope he doesn't suffer some long term damage that hinders his further career all because his team either forced him to race to soon or didn't properly advise/control him when he wanted to start again.

It kind of resembles what DQS did to Evenepoel by first letting him restart to soon and afterwards sending him to the Giro half trained.

sigh