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

[senna6541]

Nice course. Everything looks to be on track. Off the top of my head I can't recall anytime in his road career when MVDP has gone into big races (get yellow at TDF and win WC's) with at least semi-ideal training/focus and completely healthy. No news continues to be good news for MVDP. Although I would still rather watch him race MTB and CX...Still, if things remain on track we could see some mind-bending type performances this summer.

 

[Blanco]

King of the monuments this season, but also king of the leadouts.

 

[senna6541]

Looking very solid - with seemingly the correct amount of ceiling left to his form. Scary for the competition if he can avoid crashes and stay healthy.

 

[yaco]

MVP is up there with Van Poppel at doing a lead-out - When you can lead out to the final 100 metres then your sprinter is in prime position.

 

[senna6541]

MVP is up there with Van Poppel at doing a lead-out - When you can lead out to the final 100 metres then your sprinter is in prime position.

The lead-out he did at TA earlier this year was f'ing awesome to watch. Must be nice to have his sheer power and handle...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

MVP is up there with Van Poppel at doing a lead-out - When you can lead out to the final 100 metres then your sprinter is in prime position.

but he's even better from 3 to 1km. Usually people need 2 or 3 men for that. Van der Poel can keep the pace alone.

 

[Rob5091]

As I mentioned elsewhere, MvdP could well be the first man in yellow at the Tour -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...week-i-already-expect-a-lot-from-van-der-poel
"Write it down: Van der Poel is one of the big favorites to wear the yellow on Saturday 1 July after the first stage of the Tour starting in Bilbao. On a similar course, the leader of Alpercin-Deceunink rode almost forty kilometers solo on Saturday to stage and overall victory in the Baloise Belgium Tour," writes Het Nieuwsblad full of awe.
...Unlike Van Aert, he doesn't have to take anyone into account."

 

[Nick2413]

As I mentioned elsewhere, MvdP could well be the first man in yellow at the Tour -
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...week-i-already-expect-a-lot-from-van-der-poel
"Write it down: Van der Poel is one of the big favorites to wear the yellow on Saturday 1 July after the first stage of the Tour starting in Bilbao. On a similar course, the leader of Alpercin-Deceunink rode almost forty kilometers solo on Saturday to stage and overall victory in the Baloise Belgium Tour," writes Het Nieuwsblad full of awe.
...Unlike Van Aert, he doesn't have to take anyone into account."

No way, unless it’s not paced hard.

 

[frisenfruitig]

A fresh MVDP is capable of a lot but that final climb with 2 km @ 10% seems a tough task against Pogacar and Vingegaard.

 

[Rob5091]

If MvdP gets to that last climb first, Cote de Pike, the first km is not too bad, but the second km is so steep that anyone will have a problem trying to overtake.

 

[senna6541]

I doubt either Pogacar or VG will even want to try to summon/use up the energy necessary to stay with an MVDP in full beast mode on a finish like this. They'll likely be marking each other and using as little energy as possible.

 

[Berniece]

How steep is the last climb at Strade Bianche? If he’s able to do that there why not here?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

How steep is the last climb at Strade Bianche? If he’s able to do that there why not here?

Strade climb is 16% max and about 9% average. It‘s not about the steepness, but about the length of the steep part, which is a bit more than three minutes, after already getting over the 10 minute+ climb of Vivero. But I think many including me are possibly underrating MVDP‘s climbing skills, because he just hasn‘t really done climbing in shape all season.

 

[fox]

How steep is the last climb at Strade Bianche? If he’s able to do that there why not here?

Via Santa Catarina is 200 meters at around 20%. It is a 1 minute effort. Not comparable at all.

 

[Red Rick]

Via Santa Catarina is 200 meters at around 20%. It is a 1 minute effort. Not comparable at all.

Not only that, its all about who is just fresher at that point in the race.

This is a 4 min 40 climbing test, not a 4 hour 30 minute attrition race

 

[fox]

Not only that, its all about who is just fresher at that point in the race.

This is a 4 min 40 climbing test, not a 4 hour 30 minute attrition race

When you look at the profile it looks a bit like "La redoute" from Liege, but even a bit steeper in the middle. It looks better suited for Pogacar type of riders than for MVDP or WVA.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

He was a bit MIA stage 1 and 2, but made up for it liberally with that turbo lead out. Essentially a 400m-ish lead out with the speed of an all out sprint. Bananas.

 

[Didinho]

Love his leadouts! Monster pull again, hard for Philipsen to lose in perfect position without faster guys launching from behind before he goes.

 

[jmdirt]

NICE leadout!

 

[Nick2413]

Van der Poel continues to make Van Aert’s life miserable, even when he’s not the one beating him.

 

[KZD]

Not only Van der Poel is the best cobbled classics rider, he is also the best leadout rider in the world.

Great leadout today!

 

[SafeBet]

He's toying with the rest of the sprinting field at the moment. I thought he was too far behind but in a couple of seconds there he is ahead of the bunch. Just too good for the job.

 

[steffr222]

hell of a leadout that was! Really impressive again

 

[Didinho]

When you’re searching and following the leadout man in the last km, you know he’s special. Was blocked for a long time (mostly Girmay who kept going to the right). But then he pushed through and went ballistic. What a combo these 2. Hope he can get some victories for himself in the next weeks.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Although pulling, Van der Poel could probably be in the top 5 in a sprint. Monstrous.