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

[Berniece]

Stage 4 that final hill is basically about as hard as yesterday's toughest hill but it's closer to the finish. I don't think it'll be Jorgenson tempo this time. Think it's more likely Pog tries to go solo, and if Vingegaard can follow I expect he'll cooperate.

Stage 6 I agree, but it's also shorter, so in a way it should almost be more like a Giro Vicenza style uphill sprint where Van Aert and Pedersen deleted the GC contenders. I do think it's a little harder more technical though

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.

Stage 4 - Where do you think Pogacar can ride away from this MVDP? last hill is only 800m long, and the actual hard part of 10-15% for 400m. So I don't see Pogacar riding away.

Stage 6 - Would indeed be a bit more difficult, but still. How he is riding at the moment. That last steep section is also only 700m long. On such short efforts I think MVDP can just push harder.

Stage 7 - Again, MVDP only needs to survive those first 800m, after that it's fine and I can't see them ride away in those last 1200m unless he's completely destroyed.

 

[fenns]

With the cumulative effect of racing he might get less effective as the race progresses. Will he take it easy today or ride for Japser? A lot will also depend how how much the other teams commit - they didn't commit fully yesterday.

 

[Cycling111]

Alpecin is the new WolfPack.

VDP wins 2 stages in Tour and 2 in Giro. 25 other riders. Not bad.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1941980665387336119

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1941980665387336119?t=bLEyBe2dIJs7ny9Z9V4zEA&s=19

 

[Berflamand]

Alpecin is the new WolfPack.

VDP wins 2 stages in Tour and 2 in Giro. 25 other riders. Not bad.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1941980665387336119

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1941980665387336119?t=bLEyBe2dIJs7ny9Z9V4zEA&s=19

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.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

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.

 

[Peyroteo94]

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.

 

[Didinho]

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.

 

[Kedjan]

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.

 

[fenns]

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.

 

[SHAD0W93]

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.

 

[P4rthen0n]

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.

 

[Kedjan]

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.

"Tadej was just too strong... I could feel my legs burning" - Mathieu van der Poel misses out on taking Tour de France stage win in Yellow

After having one Tour de France stage win in his entire career a few days ago, Mathieu van der Poel came within a few pedal strokes of making it two in three days on Tuesday afternoon at the 2025 Tour...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[jmdirt]

Great ride today MvdP!

If he didn't have his own drink/nutrition company he should be sponsored by Monster!

 

[fenns]

the early intermediate sprint might hint at MVDP's ambitions for the race

 

[Didinho]

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.

 

[Red Rick]

I was told the breakaway was the better option for the stage win but okay.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I was told the breakaway was the better option for the stage win but okay.

Really? By whom?

 

[scribers]

Really? By whom?

I give him all of his advice

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Was it smart today? I guess tomorrow will tell

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I was told the breakaway was the better option for the stage win but okay.

Had he stayed in the peleton and Alpecin decided to control the breakaway then UAE would've turned the screw at some point with a predictable outcome.

 

[kingjr]

Was it smart today? I guess tomorrow will tell

This was probably the only way to get another shot at a stage win in yellow

 

[fenns]

He'll be fine tomorrow the man is a monster. The intermediate sprint is uphill so he can load up on points both there and at the finish

 

[jono]

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.

 

[Red Rick]

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.

 

[jono]

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.