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

[Moose McKnuckles]

"I declare today that life is simply taking and not giving, Flanders is mine, it owes me a living."
-Matthieu van der Poel

 

[stonerider]

80km ride and 13km/hour run the day after his win. Recovered pretty well I guess.

Is he going back to Spain after every race these weeks? If it works. Better weather to train and less media attention like here in Belgium.

If it works...keep doing it. He flew in this winter from training in Spain and was killing it at the start of the CX season. He flew in from Spain for MSR and was the only one on the wheel of Pog at the top of the Poggio. He flew in from Spain for E3 and won that race. You don't have to train in miserable weather to be fast...that's old cycling nonsense.

 

[senna6541]

This is what its scary about Van der Poel. He is currently the most successful one-day rider in the peloton but he could have a much better palmares at the same age.

If he had started road cycling seriously a few years earlier, he would likely have already four Ronde wins and one more at Roubaix and/or Sanremo. Then, in the World Championsips, his hunger knock in Yorkshire 2019 (probably wouldn't have happened with a little more experience), the back injury derrailing the preparation for Leuven and also Roubaix 2021 and the freakish incident in Wollongong 2022, under different circumstances he would be at least a double World Champion by now.

True. Although I would argue that his palmares would be even more freakish had he started on the road at 19 or 20. Then again, 6 CX WC's and multiple WC MTB wins is nice to have on your palmares too.

 

[scribers]

I’m chewing on my hat. And it will take quite a while to fully consume it. It tastes terrible.

I’ve questioned mvp all the way since his supreme condition in cross season. And was wrong. He’s hit his main objectives on the season short of Olympics. Nothing can stop him. Except for pogi

 

[KZD]

Absolutely legendary performance from Mathieu today, possibly his strongest ever together with the Worlds last year.

What is scary is that despite winning the WCRR and two monuments last year he is on track to do even better this season as he looks even stronger.

 

[DutchDynamite]

nice time to be a MvdP fan... what a monster

 

[Peyroteo94]

Only a Giro-Tour double can prevent him of winning the Velo d'Or this year

 

[Didinho]

I’m repeating myself but I love it.

Masterclass.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Only a Giro-Tour double can prevent him of winning the Velo d'Or this year

Did you see the stunt the jury pulled off last year?

 

[LookProGoSlow]

I’m chewing on my hat. And it will take quite a while to fully consume it. It tastes terrible.

I’ve questioned mvp all the way since his supreme condition in cross season. And was wrong. He’s hit his main objectives on the season short of Olympics. Nothing can stop him. Except for pogi

Pogi would have a hard time with this beast too.

 

[Spine Concept]

Should this be reiterated? I'll oblige: Best one-day racer on the planet bar NONE. Ask any cyclist what his wildest dream would consist of in terms of one-day races and winning the double Flanders/Roubaix as a world champion in solo fashion for a combined 110km would be right up there.

Legendary racer for the ages. And he's still "only" 29.

 

[JosefK]

Should this be reiterated? I'll oblige: Best one-day racer on the planet bar NONE. Ask any cyclist what his wildest dream would consist of in terms of one-day races and winning the double Flanders/Roubaix as a world champion in solo fashion for a combined 110km would be right up there.

Legendary racer for the ages. And he's still "only" 29.

You know you've hit the big time when a random (evidently non-Dutch) woman in the crowd is so enraged by your dominance, she tries to jam your spokes with a hat.

 

[Berniece]

What a machine, what a season already. Can’t wait to see what he can do at AGR and LBL this year

 

[Spine Concept]

You know you've hit the big time when a random (evidently non-Dutch) woman in the crowd is so enraged by your dominance, she tries to jam your spokes with a hat.

I really hope there are severe consequences for this cowardly act.

 

[Red Rick]

Did you see the stunt the jury pulled off last year?

Pogacar got stolen indeed

 

[Salvarani]

Pogacar got stolen indeed

Sad

 

[Salvarani]

Pogi would have a hard time with this beast too.

We saw that last year

 

[Salvarani]

I’m repeating myself but I love it.

Masterclass.

He looked unbeatable even 150km from the finish.

No way was he losing.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

We saw that last year

Last year is not this year 😉

 

[Salvarani]

Last year is not this year 😉

And we will never know

 

[Spine Concept]

We saw that last year

At the world's and MSR you mean?

 

[Salvarani]

At the world's and MSR you mean?

Poster said he would have problems. He has showed more than enough he can beat him in these races. Doesnt mean he will do it every time.

 

[Berniece]

Poster said he would have problems. He has showed more than enough he can beat him in these races. Doesnt mean he will do it every time.

That’s a two way street

 

[Salvarani]

That’s a two way street

Which I pretty much said.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Probably the best MVDP has ever been.

On to Amstel and Liege.