That's alot of winning, now. Tadej might be paying attention to this level of form from his best cobble buddy.
I don't think he cares. If he's good enough he'll ein and if he isn't he won't. Regardless of what MvdP does
- Sep 12, 2022
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I think it’s the other way around. If MVDP is good enough, Pogi doesn’t win, if MVDP isn’t he will. At least that was the case last year.
The last time that was true in RVV was 2022. Anything else is just copium.
- Sep 12, 2022
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RVV 2025, unless you think MVDP showed he was at a similar level as WVA and Pedersen during spring classics of course.
It's more like there are 3 monuments that only those 2 can win, and it depends on the other
And since you've mentioned RVV, Pogacar won because he was the best. MvdP was clearly a 2nd best but lost a sprint, it happens. In 2022 Pogacar was at least 2nd strongest and finished 4th
- Sep 12, 2022
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VVDP's peak cobbled classics form was 2024.
In 2025 he was ill in the Flanders run up, and after Paris Roubaix said he struggled and it felt like he was hitting every cobble, compared to the previous year where he felt he was gliding accross them.
In 2025 he was ill in the Flanders run up, and after Paris Roubaix said he struggled and it felt like he was hitting every cobble, compared to the previous year where he felt he was gliding accross them.
Armchair Cyclist
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- Mar 22, 2010
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He lost the chance to remain in contention all the way to the velodrome because of his crash. Don't think anyone would challenge that. I don't think most would consider it being a done deal that Pogacar would win after that lap and a half.
Not crashing is a part of cycling, even road cycling. He had 2 crashes due to not being as good technically as his opposition in Strade & Roubaix.
Road fans don't seem to understand this part of cycling.......
- Sep 12, 2022
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Yes he was. Why are you rewriting history?
"Hij stuurde me toevallig op 1 april": Mathieu van der Poel werd ziek na de E3 en nam deze week antibioticakuur | sporza
Na de finish gaf Alpecin-Deceuninck een klein geheimpje prijs: Mathieu van der Poel is na de E3 Saxo Classic ziek geworden en zag zijn voorbereiding op de Ronde van Vlaanderen verstoord. "Niets aan te doen", haalde ploegleider Christoph Roodhooft zijn schouders op. "We hoopten op een superdag...
Pogi lost PR: first, because of his crash. Second, because MvP paced his gap until Pogi eased off. Third, because there was no need for a sprint.
Who would've won that sprint?
The vast majority of fans have never ridden a bike until they crashed, except maybe as youngsters. Crashing at race speed has to be experienced to understand the effect, no?
I just re watched an edited version of the coverage after the crash up to 20km or so and did not see a flat. He was adding on to the gap at that time so it's possible he had time for a quick change with his team car right there. I'll watch the rest to confirm for my own memory.
MVDP had a flat on Carrefour de l'Arbre. He didn't know the gap and couldn't communicate with the team car (radio not working) but the bike change was relatively quick and the gap was already over a minute at that point and wasn't much affected. Pogi also had a bike change. These all came after the race had essentially been decided.
Pogacar wasn't there in 2024.
Obviously, it's easier to ride without anyone pushing you.
In 2023, Pogacar was superior RVV. In 2024, VDP was racing "alone" , so it's normal to ride more comfortably.
In 2023 he wasn't sick. Pogacar is superior in De Ronde.
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Neither MVDP nor Pogacar was the best version of themselves in 2023, although Pogi was pretty tops pre-LBL crash.
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Pogacar already defeated MVDP in 2023 in De Ronde.How about Pogi's "little" progression since 2024?
In De Ronde they can't even use the season as an excuse; he was superior in 2023.
Ask Remco if Liège is different with or without Pogacar
. RVV is a race where the pressure has to be more noticeable than in Liège.
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Thanks. I checked the balance of the coverage and Pogi's came at 20+km to go. Both had instant service from team cars with only Pogacar risking getting caught by the 3 ....2 chasers. Vermeersch seemed to annoy Wout by not pulling. VanAert must've been seriously bent to waste energy trying to convince him to chase MvP.
Realistically this race demands that you never let up to manage flats and crashes. Mathieu didn't relax until the last 5km. All of these guys were very close to the same strength and a 5 up velodrome finish would've have been interesting, too.
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