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

[Medvind]

What you expect when he says prior to the Tour h e rides it as training for the games

"He will continue to try to win a Tour stage, but he is riding with other goals in mind. In this case the Olympic Games," de Kegel assures. "The Games are one of the big goals. To say that the Tour is a preparation race is a bit of an oversimplification, but he is getting into shape for the Games for a small part."

 

[James M]

Exactly my point.
He is riding into shape in the Tour thats no secret I think hes not suppose to be in peak shape was my point.

Ofcourse a stage would be nice but its not his objective regarding form curve/peak.

 

[Medvind]

Think Olympic road race will be tough to win because he will just have 2 teammates with him, it will be hard to cover all dangerous attacks; can see Remco and van Aert both attacking, and Pog also of course. And he can't bring Pedersen and van Aert to the line. It will be tricky.

 

[Medvind]

Arrest me if im wrong but am I mistaken when I feel the way he race those kinda races is to make it hard as possible, I feel he often tends to open it up with a large attack early to blow the race wide open and from there on just smash it, and by doing it early and making it blow up remove some sort of tactical elements from it.

I dont feel he tends to ride these races with alot of importance on tactics like many others rely on more than him, feel its a trend he just makes it hard and most dont get to have used of many riders or tactics cause he open it up so early and make it to hard for that. Just my two cents.

Well, this time he just has two teammates and he is up against Remco (who won Worlds RR after Vuelta), Pog, van Aert, etc. He will probably have to attack early so that other teams don't start rolling attacks on him. And having Stuyvens and Remco chasing will be tough to stay away from. Other teams will of course be weary of MVDP and adapt their tactics.

Van Baarle need to be in supershape.

Notice that I said it would be tricky, not impossible.

 

[Unchained]

Arrest me if im wrong but am I mistaken when I feel the way he race those kinda races is to make it hard as possible, I feel he often tends to open it up with a large attack early to blow the race wide open and from there on just smash it, and by doing it early and making it blow up remove some sort of tactical elements from it.

I dont feel he tends to ride these races with alot of importance on tactics like many others rely on more than him, feel its a trend he just makes it hard and most dont get to have used of many riders or tactics cause he open it up so early and make it to hard for that. Just my two cents.

This all could have happened today w @30 minutes more real work, real cooperation from those in the breakaway. If guys like Gaudu, Healy, couple other much smaller riders, he couldn't power a big gap for the break. He usually goes all explosive and then settling in and just maintaining the gap.. I didn't expect him to crack on the climbing today. He didn't look to be riding near his normal limit.

 

[Sybrand]

Will he ride all the way to Nice or do we believe he will step off before the last stages?

He said in Dutch media that he will finish. After the stage to Pla d'Adet, where he was in the break, he said he felt really good. So his form is really coming. I think he will try to go for the break in the Barcelonette stage, and then finish the last three stages easily. He's perfectly on track for the Olympics.

 

[jmdirt]

MvdP is the best last leadout man in the business!

 

[proffate]

From cyclinguptodate:

"I'm riding insane wattages and they're still coming back at us" - Mathieu van der Poel in disbelief during stage 13

There's was a massive battle for a spot in the breakaway in the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France. Even the likes of Mathieu van der Poel tried to enter to early moves. However with wind picking...

cyclinguptodate.com

Is this the first time mvdp has realized how racing on smooth roads works? Insane wattages are not enough if you don't have hellingen or cobbles or crosswinds as well.

 

[Unchained]

His @250 meter lead outs during TDF, stage victories have to have him feeling great.
His head and position for 3 weeks staying out of trouble and being in the crunch of @ half the stages. He is feeling like he is spot on, w training and racing. Guy is where you need to be and head to head has 100-150:meter speed of the best, most elite sprinters..
The man is a mutant..
Special speed demon..all going to Paris will have him marked.. Like always.. How many can cover his moves? Very few even on the best days.. Pogacar can generate massive RPM stretches.. He is not racing.. MVP generated more sitting down than other top caliber riders can muster, out of the saddle, full sprint.. Man is special.
For me he bumps, weasels his way to the right spot.. He is everything.. a fantastic kilo or more out, proficient sprinter and smart like a fox..

 

[memyselfandI]

He must be happy man after Pogi decided to skip OG. Nightmares of Flandres and Liege..gone now

 

[velaso montador]

He must be happy man after Pogi decided to skip OG. Nightmares of Flandres and Liege..gone now

He is a happy champ honestly think power wice only Teddy can stop him. Tactics may prove to be a thing here but I expect him to be the strongest like normally. (Evenpoal is the X factor for me he might surprise me and can beat him power wice but that remains to be seen)

Expect him to go very early as it can be a tactical nightmare with so small teams.

 

[Berniece]

He must be happy man after Pogi decided to skip OG. Nightmares of Flandres and Liege..gone now

I don't think he has nightmares.

 

[velaso montador]

I don't think he has nightmares.

Stud like Mvdp never has nigthmare. On the bike he is a personified alpha.
Arguably one of the best one the classic riders of all time when you take into account what he has won in what timespan and tries.

 

[Berflamand]

I'm not sure he's happy about Pog skipping the Olympics. In fact, I think it actually makes it more difficult for him.

One top favourite less to control and react to the rolling attacks of the Belgian team and other strong riders/nations.

Last year at Glasgow, Pog was really useful for him to keep responding to attacks, particularly from Remco.

 

[Keldergoat]

Glasgow's route fitted him like a glove: loads of 90 degrees corners, short, sharp inclines, technical descents. Paris is way less of that. Although MvdP's track record on one day races is second to none, I think people are a bit overestimating his chances. Don't forget that prior to Glasgow, he also had WC's on routes that fitted him on paper where he couldn't make the difference (Leuven 2021 fi).

 

[Valv.Piti]

Without looking at the route in full details, this looks to be another route absolutely tailermade for MVDP. Can't ask for anything more than this without it getting too extreme like Glasgow in a hilly and technical crit race type course with corners everywhere lol

 

[KZD]

Glasgow's route fitted him like a glove: loads of 90 degrees corners, short, sharp inclines, technical descents. Paris is way less of that. Although MvdP's track record on one day races is second to none, I think people are a bit overestimating his chances. Don't forget that prior to Glasgow, he also had WC's on routes that fitted him on paper where he couldn't make the difference (Leuven 2021 fi).

I agree that this Olympic route is not as good for Van der Poel as 2023 WCRR route however I still think that it suits him pretty well, some similarities with RVV and he is my favourite for it.

Back in Leuven 2021 he still had that lingering back injury from the Olympic MTB race which affected his performance (I think without it he would have been fighting for gold with Alaphilippe).

 

[Bolder]

I agree on the part of the Gasgow route it was tailormade, also super super tough. But its still city course here aswell? Not that perfect but still should be good to him on paper at least like you say.

The way he powered away in E3 and PR looked to be another level even from him this year so its also valid to expect he will good.

The hardest thing for him is he will be overwhelming favorite, and will have few allies to cover attacks.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

I agree I doubt the belgiums and others will wanne wait untill he attacks and rather deploy rider after rider before at least they should imo.

Just that rider after rider, there only Remco+1 left, they have max 4 riders per team, counting down to one starter nations.

 

[Barkintheeye]

I'm not sure he's happy about Pog skipping the Olympics. In fact, I think it actually makes it more difficult for him.

One top favourite less to control and react to the rolling attacks of the Belgian team and other strong riders/nations.

Last year at Glasgow, Pog was really useful for him to keep responding to attacks, particularly from Remco.

I don't recall any real attacks from Remco at last year's WC? Did Pogacar close those attacks?

 

[Blanco]

I don't recall any real attacks from Remco at last year's WC? Did Pogacar close those attacks?

Yeah, there were few, and I think Pogacar was always first to react.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I don't think he has nightmares.

In the first pic Pogi clearly celebrated his victory but it's organizers fault that the finish line was too far.

 

[Sciatic]

.

I don't think he has nightmares.

Oh he has nightmares alright—of teenage girls pounding on his door!

 

[Barkintheeye]

Yeah, there were few, and I think Pogacar was always first to react.

Coming into the lap course in Glasgow the Peloton is compact with a breakaway group some 4 minutes in advance. Immediately from there on the Danish team is drilling it hard to split the Peloton (+140K left).

At around 120K left Bettiol attacks and Pedersen follows which drives the whole Peloton and causes several splits. Pogacar is high up and closes the gap with help from some Belgians but not Remco that has been peeled off from the front group.

With 100K left Laporte has a material and is distanced despite help from Alaphilippe. Denmark is again up and drilling. The break has a one minute advantage. All the major favorites are in the top chase group.

Small attack from Remco at 98K left closed by Danes, Swiss and Italy immediately. Group back again with some 40 riders. At around 95-90K left Italy is trying to split the group but just setting up MVDP for an attack. Remco distanced. Then at 86K left Pog attacks and Trentin crashes. Attack is shut down by WVA and MVDP. Remco back in the tail. Group down less than 30 riders.

74K left Pedersen attacks hard, WVA, MVDP and Pog follows, and then MVDP counter attacks. WVA, Pedersen, Bettiol, Pog follows. Split becomes more than 15 secs. Cosnefroy - not remaining Belgians - make the group come back together once again.

62K left the hill, massive attack by Pog. Group stretched out with small gaps all over. Remco attacking with Pedersen on the wheel. Pog quickly closing the gap and then WVA counter attacking but is shut by MVDP. With 58K second attack from Remco but Pedersen, Powless et al follows. Group down to less than 20 riders. Punches delivered again and again. Third attack by Remco an only Pog follows closely but group back again.

55K Bettiol on real break. Rain has started. Less than 50K distance to Bettiol +25 secs, Benoot in lead of chasing group. 43K remaining Narvaez goes down in a corner and the group splits with Remco in the back. WVA drilling in the front. Split is clear, 34 sec up to Bettiol. Remco not contributing to chase. Pedersen, WVA, MVDP and Pog chasing Bettiol. Less than 30K Remco out in the back not being able to follow chasers.

22K brutal attack by MVDP, Bettiol caught. No one able to follow. WVA strongest among the chasers. History. MVDP win!

I'd say Remco had very little impact on last year's WC. Rather Pedersen, WVA, Bettiol and some other riders made the bigger impact.

 

[proffate]

Glasgow was the closest thing to a cx course that we may ever see. Teamwork and drafting are minimal compared to brute force and technical skill.

I don't think the Paris course is quite the same. And it's not just that the teams are small, but the overall field size is just 90. And that's not even the best 90 riders due to the allotment between different countries. The difference in level between the top 10 and the median rider is going to be immense. And the course is the longest it's ever been, shorter only than MSR this year (and same length as WCRR). It's going to be an oddball race, like junior racing. I can't wait. Who remembers how insane Remco was in the juniors?