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

[jono]

It's interesting. And MVP is quite a massive guy. We've seen Dumoulin doing 10 km in 32 minutes. Obviously it's not that surprising considering how awesome aerobic engines they have but I'm curious how fast Vingegaard could go for example (after some training of course), he's so light, like African long-distance runners. Is breaking 30 minutes possible for such an elite, lightweight climber?

Mike Woods was a top junior and collegiate middle distance runner. He doesn't have a 10k PB on the World Athletics site, but his 5k PB of 14m14 results in a predicted 10k finish of 29m41.

 

[Oldman]

I'm sure that's what he would prefer, but will his team (sponsors) allow it?

I don't know. The number of WC jersies he has would suggest his opinion on the matter would come first, though.

 

[Oldman]

It's interesting. And MVP is quite a massive guy. We've seen Dumoulin doing 10 km in 32 minutes. Obviously it's not that surprising considering how awesome aerobic engines they have but I'm curious how fast Vingegaard could go for example (after some training of course), he's so light, like African long-distance runners. Is breaking 30 minutes possible for such an elite, lightweight climber?

It'd take awhile for any serious GT climber/TT er to rebalance their quad/hamstrings to run without cramping. It would also affect their cycling climbing after they dedicated the effort to run successfully. Contador was a possible exception and could explain his ability to climb out of the saddle for prolonged efforts.
Does anyone know how much time after retiring from cycling the Dumoulin ran serious 10km?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

It's interesting. And MVP is quite a massive guy. We've seen Dumoulin doing 10 km in 32 minutes. Obviously it's not that surprising considering how awesome aerobic engines they have but I'm curious how fast Vingegaard could go for example (after some training of course), he's so light, like African long-distance runners. Is breaking 30 minutes possible for such an elite, lightweight climber?

Given that a 10k is not a multi day event I think he would just refuse to do it, otherwise he would get nervous in the night and wouldn't sleep.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Given that a 10k is not a multi day event I think he would just refuse to do it, otherwise he would get nervous in the night and wouldn't sleep.

Vingo lacks endurance in intense one-day races so he probably wouldn't even finish 10k event, citing fatigue.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It'd take awhile for any serious GT climber/TT er to rebalance their quad/hamstrings to run without cramping. It would also affect their cycling climbing after they dedicated the effort to run successfully. Contador was a possible exception and could explain his ability to climb out of the saddle for prolonged efforts.
Does anyone know how much time after retiring from cycling the Dumoulin ran serious 10km?

Dumoulin was still an active cyclist when he ran 10 k in 32:38. As for Vingegaard I meant hypothetically If he focused on 10 k preparations for a few months (not happening of course).

 

[Red Rick]

Dumoulin was still an active cyclist when he ran 10 k in 32:38. As for Vingegaard I meant hypothetically If he focused on 10 k preparations for a few months (not happening of course).

The only relevant part is the 'not happening ofcourse'.

The answer if very likely no, but if he'd become a track athlete instead of a cyclist then very likely yes.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

The only relevant part is the 'not happening ofcourse'.

The answer if very likely no, but if he'd become a track athlete instead of a cyclist then very likely yes.

I get it but don't you think that a monster climber weighting 15-17 kg less than MVP should be able to beat his time by 10%? (after let's say half a year of good training) We are talking about a guy with one of the highest relative VO2max on the planet.

 

[Red Rick]

I get it but don't you think that a monster climber weighting 15-17 kg less than MVP should be able to beat his time by 10%? (after let's say half a year of good training) We are talking about a guy with one of the highest relative VO2max on the planet.

Van der Poel coming from a CX background should have an advantage in running training and adaptation.

Simply put we could just do the math of what we estimate his VO2 for 30 minutes is and what running economy he needs to run sub 30, and then look into the scientific literature to see what's a typical improvement for beginners, but even then you make a lot of bad big assumptions as he's never gonna hit the same oxygen consumption numbers while running than he would on a bike.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Van der Poel coming from a CX background should have an advantage in running training and adaptation.

Simply put we could just do the math of what we estimate his VO2 for 30 minutes is and what running economy he needs to run sub 30, and then look into the scientific literature to see what's a typical improvement for beginners, but even then you make a lot of bad big assumptions as he's never gonna hit the same oxygen consumption numbers while running than he would on a bike.

This is obviously the most important part and it would be interesting to know how much training it would take to achieve similar values (i.e. for his running muscles to fully utilize his cardiovascular engine & endurance sports background).

 

[Red Rick]

This is obviously the most important part and it would be interesting to know how much training it would take to achieve similar values (i.e. for his running muscles to fully utilize his cardiovascular engine & endurance sports background).

Likely he'd never hit the same numbers, and probably not all that close.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Likely he'd never hit the same numbers, and probably not all that close.

Agreed that likely never and maybe i am underestimating the difficulty of this transition. Still 30 minutes is 10 percent worse than what the best guys can do so i am not expecting him to fight for glory in 10 k events.

 

[Wyndbrook]

It's interesting. And MVP is quite a massive guy. We've seen Dumoulin doing 10 km in 32 minutes. Obviously it's not that surprising considering how awesome aerobic engines they have but I'm curious how fast Vingegaard could go for example (after some training of course), he's so light, like African long-distance runners. Is breaking 30 minutes possible for such an elite, lightweight climber?

He might have the running style of a wonky donky.

 

[KZD]

Finally Van der Poel's CX season revealed.

📍 14/12 — Namur World Cup (TBC)
📍 20/12 — Antwerpen World Cup
📍 21/12 — Koksijde World Cup
📍 22/12 — Hofstade
📍26/12 — Gavere World Cup
📍29/12 — Loenhout
📍 01/01 — Baal
📍 02/01 — Mol
📍 04/01 — Zonhoven World Cup
📍 18/01 — Benidorm World Cup (TBC)
📍 24/01 — Maasmechelen World Cup
📍 25/01 — Hoogerheide World Cup
📍 Hulst — UCI World Championships

 

[Oldman]

Dumoulin was still an active cyclist when he ran 10 k in 32:38. As for Vingegaard I meant hypothetically If he focused on 10 k preparations for a few months (not happening of course).

He may have also been an active runner for training and variety.

 

[Sciatic]

Finally Van der Poel's CX season revealed.

📍 14/12 — Namur World Cup (TBC)
📍 20/12 — Antwerpen World Cup
📍 21/12 — Koksijde World Cup
📍 22/12 — Hofstade
📍26/12 — Gavere World Cup
📍29/12 — Loenhout
📍 01/01 — Baal
📍 02/01 — Mol
📍 04/01 — Zonhoven World Cup
📍 18/01 — Benidorm World Cup (TBC)
📍 24/01 — Maasmechelen World Cup
📍 25/01 — Hoogerheide World Cup
📍 Hulst — UCI World Championships

Thanks; that's a lot more racing than I was expecting.

 

[dougvdh]

Thanks; that's a lot more racing than I was expecting.

It's enough World Cups that he could theoretically be in contention for the overall.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Thanks; that's a lot more racing than I was expecting.

I wish he was as that committed to XCO racing.......instead of just 2 World Cups before the Worlds.....

 

[laarsland]

He might have the running style of a wonky donky.

Second career arc of Froomie

 

[jono]

I wish he was as that committed to XCO racing.......instead of just 2 World Cups before the Worlds.....

As long as his sponsors demand he races the Tour I can't imagine his XCO participation being much greater.

2019 was the near-perfect MVDP calendar (except his team wasn't invited to Roubaix or MSR).

 

[Cookster15]

This is obviously the most important part and it would be interesting to know how much training it would take to achieve similar values (i.e. for his running muscles to fully utilize his cardiovascular engine & endurance sports background).

I don't think any amount of training can overcome a genetic deficiency in running economy? Some people are born to run. Obviously CX competitors have some running ability but running with a bike is completely different to running freely.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't think any amount of training can overcome a genetic deficiency in running economy? Some people are born to run. Obviously CX competitors have some running ability but running with a bike is completely different to running freely.

Yeah individual running economy his highly variable and I'm pretty sure it tapers off after an x amount of training. It does improve from beginners to intermediates to highly trained amateurs, sure, but you can't just pick a random person, put it on a training schedule and expect him to reach elite RE even after decades of training.

In fact the whole reason people from Kenya, Somalia and Etheopia dominate long distance running is that that part of the human population is genetically much more predisposed to good running economy.