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

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Jan 29, 2020
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It's an impressive stat for Alpecin but 25 other 'riders'? Not exactly.

Philipsen alone accounts for 12 of those stage wins (10 Tour + 2 Vuelta) while for example Groves also has 8 stage wins (6 Vuelta + 2 Giro). That's 20 already between 2 riders.
 
Jul 7, 2013
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Stage 7, Mur de Bretagne I think is just too easy for Pogacar to drop Van der Poel especially as I think it's unlikely Pogacar attacks from the steep section anyway because he will be more worried about not getting countered by Vingegaard.

It could be difficult for Pogi to win but maybe UAE will try brutal tempo by Wellens & Narvaez on the steepest section to suffocate MVP a bit before Pogi goes.
 
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Mar 20, 2022
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It could be difficult for Pogi to win but maybe UAE will try brutal tempo by Wellens & Narvaez on the steepest section to suffocate MVP a bit before Pogi goes.
Mur de Bretagne is too easy specially because they hit the steepest section at high speed.
 
Jan 10, 2019
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Another day in yellow. Close to the win, he will get another one in this form. I wouldn’t give 100% tomorrow if I was him but I think he will give it a try on this flat TT.

Hope to see him a lot in breakaways the next weeks.
 
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Jul 5, 2025
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Legs were screaming in the end. Pog really put him through the hurtlocker. Those gradients were brutal.

Still, only big guy there in the end, really impressive.

But I must admit, I fear Mûr-de-Bretange might be too tough for him if Pog goes all out after a hard leadout.
 
May 16, 2015
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Great effort today. Hopefully the team objective will be the green jersey - not trying to lead out Groves so he gets 4th place in bunch sprints.
 
Aug 13, 2011
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Good ride by MVDP and can definitely get another one or two stages. I think he should try going for green but would need the sprinters to pillage themselves.
 
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Apr 12, 2025
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Another fantastic stage from MvdP!
How is it possible for him to contest the win in a stage like this when so many elite world class climbers were dropped today?
He's incredible and one of a kind.

I'm really hoping he goes for the green jersey.
 
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Jul 5, 2025
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MVDP:

"I will try to win again at Mûr-de-Bretagne on Friday, yet seeing how Tadej is riding it will be very tough to do it," he concludes his assessment. "I’m happy I kept the Yellow Jersey. If I am realistic, I know that I will probably lose it in tomorrow’s ITT, yet it will be a pleasure to ride a time trial in yellow as I did in 2021."

So, all in on the tt tomorrow and then use stage 6 to reload before trying to win stage 7 to Mûr-de-Bretange?

He hinted after his good tt in Dauphine that he would go for it in the first tour-tt also. I first wondered if he should take it easy tomorrow and try to win both stage 6 och 7, but it seems he has other plans. Looking at stage 6 it's probably a bit too hard for MVDP. So saving his bullets for Mûr-de-Bretange looks wise, especially when he is up against Pog.

 
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Jan 10, 2019
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He’s gonna drink a liter of that recovery cherry juice. Stage was too hard for him in the break where he spend a lot of energy to get away.

It was an extra day in yellow or stage win tomorrow. He got something now.
 
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Jan 31, 2021
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Leave aside the question of if he will or should chase it, but is there a reasonable path to MVDP taking the green jersey?

To me it seems if Milan doesn't to the job, it likely goes to Pogacar in the end.
 
Feb 20, 2012
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Leave aside the question of if he will or should chase it, but is there a reasonable path to MVDP taking the green jersey?

To me it seems if Milan doesn't to the job, it likely goes to Pogacar in the end.
I don't see it.
 
Jan 31, 2021
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I don't see it.
I agree.

He probably would need to win at least one or two of the remaining stages that sort of suit him, but the problem is that those stages suit Pogacar even more. And get in the early break for most mountain stages. And convince the team (or be convinced himself) that he should be riding for minor places in the mass sprint stages instead of leading out Groves.

Still, I hope he tries because otherwise this competition will either be won by Milan in his sleep, or by Pogacar by accident.
 
Sep 12, 2022
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Leave aside the question of if he will or should chase it, but is there a reasonable path to MVDP taking the green jersey?

To me it seems if Milan doesn't to the job, it likely goes to Pogacar in the end.
By going for all intermediate sprints. Doubt he would want to put an that effort in for another 2 weeks
 

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