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

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Peyroteo94

Peyroteo94

Mar 20, 2022
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YavorD said:
I agree that MSR is a much different race, but it's the only point of h2h comparasion we have.

MVDP also said that RvV was one of his best days (until then of course) IIRC. I might be wrong on the latter.
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You are right. 2023 is also his best season ever so he didn't have back issues at all and wasn't wasting any stupid energy before he got dropped the first time by Pogacar. He only came back thanks to Laporte and WVA. This year he will have the same luck.
 
Didinho

Didinho

Jan 10, 2019
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Froome said:
Tomorrow things will be different.

1- Van der poel is way more stronger now than in 2023.

2- In 2023 van der poel was still dealing with back issues.

3-He will not underestimate pogacar this time, and spend unnecessary energy in unnecessary attacks.

4-He had some bad luck in 2023 were also lost energy like when the chain dropped.
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He was also too focused on riding hard after Wout dropped, to let him stay behind. And wasn’t it also the year Alpecin was pushing 30km when the peloton broke in half? A lot of unnecessary effort/mental thing. He will ride smarter tomorrow, plus he’s stronger.
I think it will be evenly matched, so tactics can play a bigger role.
 
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jono

Jan 31, 2021
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Peyroteo94 said:
You are right. 2023 is also his best season ever so he didn't have back issues at all and wasn't wasting any stupid energy before he got dropped the first time by Pogacar. He only came back thanks to Laporte and WVA. This year he will have the same luck.
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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.
 
Peyroteo94

Peyroteo94

Mar 20, 2022
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jono said:
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.
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Do you think RVV and PR would be the same with WVA there? Not this Wout but a Wout in his prime?
 
Peyroteo94

Peyroteo94

Mar 20, 2022
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jono said:
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.
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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.
 
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Berniece

Berniece

Sep 12, 2022
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Peyroteo94 said:
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.
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When someone else keeps attacking and increasing the pace that isn’t wheel sucking
 
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Medvind

Jun 27, 2024
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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

Red Rick

Feb 20, 2012
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Medvind said:
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.
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The small gaps until the final part where nobody works together don't exactly make Pogacar stand out much for Roubaix.
 
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Salvarani

Oct 15, 2017
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Peyroteo94 said:
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.
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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.
 
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ChasingPotatoes

Aug 5, 2024
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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.
 
A

AmRacer

Sep 1, 2023
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ChasingPotatoes said:
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.
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Visma and Trek would've attacked and Pogi & Mathieu must getting them back. So eventually Mads, Steuven or Wout could have slipped away.
 
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Peyroteo94

Peyroteo94

Mar 20, 2022
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Salvarani said:
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.
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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).
 
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Salvarani

Oct 15, 2017
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AmRacer said:
Visma and Trek would've attacked and Pogi & Mathieu must getting them back. So eventually Mads, Steuven or Wout could have slipped away.
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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.
 
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