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

[Peyroteo94]

True, to a point, but spring 2023 wasn't as strong as spring 2024, for example. He was coming off a middling CX season, barely beat Wout at worlds, won San Remo with a single attack and built his gap on the descent, lost Flanders, and won Roubaix, but only dropping the group with a combo of crash, Wout attack and Wout mechanical.

The best stretch we've seen from Mathieu is Worlds 2023 through Roubaix 2024. Even Liege 2024 was an impressive result given the type of rider he is. It remains to be seen if this spring will match that level.

Do you think RVV and PR would be the same with WVA there? Not this Wout but a Wout in his prime?

 

[jono]

Do you think RVV and PR would be the same with WVA there? Not this Wout but a Wout in his prime?

RVV and PR 2024? It would have played out differently, but I don't doubt the end result would be the same. MVDP at Roubaix 2024 was monstrous.

 

[topcat]

Tomorrow, Mvdp will be feasting on smoked Pogacar.

 

[Peyroteo94]

RVV and PR 2024? It would have played out differently, but I don't doubt the end result would be the same. MVDP at Roubaix 2024 was monstrous.

I also believe MVP would win PR 2023 with more than a minute if WVA wasn't there. MVP was able to drop Pogacar even if he was (again) helped by Pogacar’s attack earlier (MSR 2023). In MSR 2025, he was sucking Pog's wheel all the way (on Poggio) and couldn't drop him with his attack. One thing is certain, we don't know who will win. I believe Pogi will win but is far from being certain. Last year, we already knew MVP (excluding crashes) would win the race.

 

[Berniece]

I also believe MVP would win PR 2023 with more than a minute if WVA wasn't there. MVP was able to drop Pogacar even if he was (again) helped by Pogacar’s attack earlier (MSR 2023). In MSR 2025, he was sucking Pog's wheel all the way (on Poggio) and couldn't drop him with his attack. One thing is certain, we don't know who will win. I believe Pogi will win but is far from being certain. Last year, we already knew MVP (excluding crashes) would win the race.

When someone else keeps attacking and increasing the pace that isn’t wheel sucking

 

[ciranda]

what a jerk huh?

 

[Froome]

The sport is a shame when riders can't even ride in a smart way, because they are too proud.

 

[dazaau]

The sport is a shame when riders can't even ride in a smart way, because they are too proud.

His positioning was terrible all day. He paid the price.

 

[Froome]

His positioning was terrible all day. He paid the price.

That is also true.

 

[jono]

Hope he recovers well from the crash for next week.

 

[Red Rick]

Also doing just too much work on the intermediate sections. If the race slows down and the efforts are more rested, that should 100% favor him, yet he's eager to pace hard to keep Visma away when he shouldn't give a crap if they come back or not.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He raced to win, he just isn't good enough in this route against Pogacar. I think he can race to make Pogacar lose the race but he will not win too.

 

[Medvind]

He was strong as hell today. Crash didn't help and he was badly posititioned quite a few times. Cleary wasted one extra bullet 2nd time Kwaremot.

He could hang with Pog for 240k but then Pog showed his superiority in long hard races.

PR is not RVV so he should still be the favorite. Van Aert, Pog and Pedersen will be his main challengers.

 

[Red Rick]

He was strong as hell today. Crash didn't help and he was badly posititioned quite a few times. Cleary wasted one extra bullet 2nd time Kwaremot.

He could hang with Pog for 240k but then Pog showed his superiority in long hard races.

PR is not RVV so he should still be the favorite. Van Aert, Pog and Pedersen will be his main challengers.

The small gaps until the final part where nobody works together don't exactly make Pogacar stand out much for Roubaix.

 

[Lorzenz08]

The small gaps until the final part where nobody works together don't exactly make Pogacar stand out much for Roubaix.

He lost important teammates though. With some more help he would have been more supreme.

 

[Salvarani]

He raced to win, he just isn't good enough in this route against Pogacar. I think he can race to make Pogacar lose the race but he will not win too.

He doesnt want to take Pedersen or Van Aert with him in a sprint. They also had team numbers to potentially play with.

He "just" needs to be able to follow Pog and he can win the sprint, where he has a big advantage.

Riding to make Pog lose, reduces his own chance to win. He will be relying on luck and tactical games to win. It is not his style and he has never ridden like that.

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

He has always cooperated in breakaways, he isn't the rider to stay in the wheels. But with a rider as good as Pog, and MvdP having a better sprint, he should have adjusted his tactics slightly and pull less. If Visma came back, he already knew he could drop them on the cobbled hills. But working with Pog, after having to counter him multiple times when out of position, did more harm than he could handle.

 

[AmRacer]

He has always cooperated in breakaways, he isn't the rider to stay in the wheels. But with a rider as good as Pog, and MvdP having a better sprint, he should have adjusted his tactics slightly and pull less. If Visma came back, he already knew he could drop them on the cobbled hills. But working with Pog, after having to counter him multiple times when out of position, did more harm than he could handle.

Visma and Trek would've attacked and Pogi & Mathieu must getting them back. So eventually Mads, Steuven or Wout could have slipped away.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He doesnt want to take Pedersen or Van Aert with him in a sprint. They also had team numbers to potentially play with.

He "just" needs to be able to follow Pog and he can win the sprint, where he has a big advantage.

Riding to make Pog lose, reduces his own chance to win. He will be relying on luck and tactical games to win. It is not his style and he has never ridden like that.

Exactly. He gambled and he lost. In MSR, he won even if he wasn't the strongest (just did a half pull once on Cipressa).

 

[scribers]

That little dig Wout made before the kwaremont was revealing. MVP might have been concerned but couldn’t seem to respond

 

[Salvarani]

Visma and Trek would've attacked and Pogi & Mathieu must getting them back. So eventually Mads, Steuven or Wout could have slipped away.

Mathieu would have to spend energy closing gaps or hope he gets away in a move like that.

So this isnt really a good option either. He would have to spend energy closing gaps and working no matter what.

His biggest chance to win is to ride with Pog, if he is in the race with him.

Like Ronde 2022 and MSR 2025. Or attack on his own and drop Pog, like Glasgow WC and his other win in MSR.

 

[Red Rick]

That little dig Wout made before the kwaremont was revealing. MVP might have been concerned but couldn’t seem to respond

No he just realized Pogacar was about to attack and that's why he had to be on Pogs wheel.

 

[Salvarani]

That little dig Wout made before the kwaremont was revealing. MVP might have been concerned but couldn’t seem to respond

Yeah, and it was smart from Wout.

 

[Medvind]

Exactly. He gambled and he lost. In MSR, he won even if he wasn't the strongest (just did a half pull once on Cipressa).

As long as he is sharp he is a threat on courses where explosivity counts. MSR is just not hard enough to wear VDP down. Logically Pog will have a harder time to beat VDP in PR because of lack of climbs. Not saying it's impossible just harder.

 

[Salvarani]

As long as he is sharp he is a threat on courses where explosivity counts. MSR is just not hard enough to wear VDP down. Logically Pog will have a harder time to beat VDP in PR because of lack of climbs. Not saying it's impossible just harder.

MVDP at the same time... cant really be too focused on Pog.

Van Aert and few others are closer to MVDP there.