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

[Froome]

Van Der Peol is not Flemmish

Curiously, he was born in kapellen, belgium.

 

[theyoungest]

The urine stuff is just twitter talk. There's no evidence. I mean of course the fanboy defense force will believe it (& the rider himself will do anything to make himself look better) but the only evidence we have is of a millionaire sportsman spitting on people.

And no, there's a huge difference between someone 'reacting to abuse' & actually literally spitting on a bunch of people. That's not "wearing emotions on his sleeve", it's being a disgusting slob.

I'm surprised he hasn't apologized yet. I'd be even more amazed if he gets away with it.

Look, there's a bunch of drunk Neanderthals that visit these cross races and this is probably the only "language" they understand. In your world of perfectly civilized human beings I'm sure these things don't occur, but unfortunately that's not the same everywhere. The cyclocross department of the UCI are mostly Belgians, they do know what's going on, so they'll probably be a little more realistic.

Curiously, he was born in kapellen, belgium.

Not just that, he speaks Flemish. And he grew up doing a very Flemish sport: cyclocross.

 

[Cookster15]

Spitting is never justified. Yes he screwed up. He has lowered himself to the level of those hooligans. He is 28 years old, old enough to know.

But is anything being done to deal with these hooligans? I wasn't aware of problems in cyclocross until I read this story? In some countries spitting can be considered common assault.

 

[Hugh Januss]

If any player in the NBA did this they would be fined and suspended.

 

[dobrien]

They may not be better human beings, but they are professionals and employees. Any of us who work as professionals would face severe consequences and perhaps firing if we spit on someone yelling at us from the street below.

Yelling at you from the street below? How about if they were coming up to your office and throwing beer (and perhaps even urine!) on you? The people here thinking MVDP is supposed to apologize are f***ed in the head.

 

[Rackham]

Look, there's a bunch of drunk Neanderthals that visit these cross races and this is probably the only "language" they understand

I need to see some tangible evidence of fans spitting on VdP or throwing urine at him before I go along with the 'drunk Neanderthals' angle entirely. Even then it would hardly excuse his behavior would it? Two wrongs don't make a right etc.

Otherwise any col in a GT is going to become Lord of the Flies, i.e. every man for himself, anything goes. Be it fans or riders.

But this is hardly unique to cycling: most sports have rowdy fans (ranging from mildly impolite to downright abusive & in some cases criminal). Athletes usually don't spit on them. I think just about every pro footballer on the planet could say he's endured worse.

 

[DNP-Old]

Is spitting on spectators commonplace in CX?

Spitting? Groenendaal used to fight with spectators, lol. Sven Nys once parked his bike against a pole in the middle of the race to chase after people on foot.

 

[Berniece]

I don’t see an issue with spitting at all. If someone throws urine at me they can be happy I only spat at them

 

[Salvarani]

I will forgive MVDP for having a human moment/reaction.

**** those "fans".

 

[Rackham]

I will forgive MVDP for having a human moment/reaction.

**** those "fans".

A 'human reaction' would be to insult them, or stop the bike & punch whomever in the face, Bernard Hinault style. Like a proper raging 'I've lost control & I'm loving it!' madman. I'd have no complaints. He'd still get sanctioned, mind (deservedly), but it would at least have bad ass street credentials.

But spitting at someone is the act of a little person. It's gross. Especially (like I said previously) post-Covid. I mean anyone who goes & spits in the direction of a bunch of people in 2023 needs some mental help. Not normal.

I think people should start to deal with this one (& process it) properly, i.e. it's disappointing. Especially considering his status in pro cycling. I get his fans need to justify it by any means possible but it really is indefensible.

 

[jono]

A 'human reaction' would be to insult them, or stop the bike & punch whomever in the face, Bernard Hinault style. Like a proper raging 'I've lost control & I'm loving it!' madman. I'd have no complaints. He'd still get sanctioned, mind (deservedly), but it would at least have bad ass street credentials.

An act of actual violence is somehow better than what happened?

 

[Berniece]

A 'human reaction' would be to insult them, or stop the bike & punch whomever in the face, Bernard Hinault style. Like a proper raging 'I've lost control & I'm loving it!' madman. I'd have no complaints. He'd still get sanctioned, mind (deservedly), but it would at least have bad ass street credentials.

But spitting at someone is the act of a little person. It's gross. Especially (like I said previously) post-Covid. I mean anyone who goes & spits in the direction of a bunch of people in 2023 needs some mental help. Not normal.

lol this is just ridiculous

 

[Rackham]

An act of actual violence is somehow better than what happened?

Spitting on someone is an act of violence & can even be considered a criminal offense.

What is even going on in this discussion? This is Europe in 2023. Not medieval times.

 

[jono]

Spitting on someone is an act of violence & can even be considered a criminal offense.

What is even going on in this discussion? This is Europe in 2023. Not medieval times.

"Fans" crossed a line, Mathieu screwed up big time. But striking these idiots would have been far more stupid, and dangerous.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Likely cycling needs to mature in this regard and the way it should work in the future is for cyclist to make a formal complaint and for such fans to get removed from the sport event. As the way it currently works is cyclist should just endure. So the current system is bad and such results are to be expected. Too much one sided.

 

[Hugh Januss]

These people obviously did something to piss VdP off, but the video doesn't show anything of that which means VdP had a lap to plan out his response. He came up with a poor one.

 

[Tim Cahill]

"Fans" crossed a line, Mathieu screwed up big time. But striking these idiots would have been far more stupid, and dangerous.

Absolutely more stupid and dangerous, but in many ways more iconic

 

[Rackham]

"Fans" crossed a line, Mathieu screwed up big time. But striking these idiots would have been far more stupid, and dangerous.

I disagree entirely. I say this as someone who'd rather get punched in the face than spat in the face. It's less personal. Less gross. Both are assaults though, make no mistake.

Also, just in case someone twists the meaning of my post entirely i.e. "he said punching was okay!". Not at all. If he'd punched someone, he'd be banned, for good reason. Just as he needs to be banned here for spitting at them.

No excuses. It's a bad look for the sport when the rainbow jersey wearer does such disgusting things.

 

[Cookster15]

lol this is just ridiculous

Not really. Intentional spitting in the face is criminal assault where I come from - just like punching someone in the face.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Now if he was spat each lap then what happened is he came prepared.

 

[kingjr]

"Fans" crossed a line, Mathieu screwed up big time. But striking these idiots would have been far more stupid, and dangerous.

More importantly, he still had a race to win.

 

[Froome]

The problem is that those belgium fans don't acknowledge the Tribal chief of cyclocross. They should apologise, and acknowledge van der poel! He is the MVP.
He is tired of being humble.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1740738776878744036

View: https://twitter.com/TheRomanRTheGuy/status/1740738776878744036

 

[CyclistAbi]

It's inexcusable, if it was one sided. If the fan had one in the chamber, when it hit, then it's called justice.

Still Mathieu should apologize either way and cycling as a whole should find a solution to deal with such fans. You don't have to take it and you shouldn't act on your own. So there must be something else involved. To resolve such issues.

 

[Salvarani]

A 'human reaction' would be to insult them, or stop the bike & punch whomever in the face, Bernard Hinault style. Like a proper raging 'I've lost control & I'm loving it!' madman. I'd have no complaints. He'd still get sanctioned, mind (deservedly), but it would at least have bad ass street credentials.

But spitting at someone is the act of a little person. It's gross. Especially (like I said previously) post-Covid. I mean anyone who goes & spits in the direction of a bunch of people in 2023 needs some mental help. Not normal.

I think people should start to deal with this one (& process it) properly, i.e. it's disappointing. Especially considering his status in pro cycling. I get his fans need to justify it by any means possible but it really is indefensible.

^
"fan"

 

[Salvarani]

I disagree entirely. I say this as someone who'd rather get punched in the face than spat in the face. It's less personal. Less gross. Both are assaults though, make no mistake.

Also, just in case someone twists the meaning of my post entirely i.e. "he said punching was okay!". Not at all. If he'd punched someone, he'd be banned, for good reason. Just as he needs to be banned here for spitting at them.

No excuses. It's a bad look for the sport when the rainbow jersey wearer does such disgusting things.

Crazy talk.