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

[Red Rick]

It's easy to analyze that huge effort from our comfy perspective.
One thing is clear: Mathieu is accustomed to and expects to win every race he enters. He wasn't riding for 2nd and Remco is an afterthought until he rides close enough to be of assistance. He would know that Remco has zero chance of catching Tadej unless there was a crash. The problem with collaboration on a course like this; it tortures through pace-variation from both terrain and racing. A rider that catches you has already assumed a faster pace and MvP attempting to accelerate could completely blow up beyond finishing at that stage of the race.

It's easy to analyze because the mistakes are obvious. Van der Poel very clearly does not expect to win every race he enters. He admits Pogacar is better than him, yet he does not change his approach to maximize his chance of winning to reflect that.

Seriously it's all like Brahim Diaz gets another chance AFCON final last minute penalty only to do a Panenka again and miss again with 50% or more of fans somehow approving of his decision

 

[AmRacer]

It's easy to analyze because the mistakes are obvious. Van der Poel very clearly does not expect to win every race he enters. He admits Pogacar is better than him, yet he does not change his approach to maximize his chance of winning to reflect that.

Seriously it's all like Brahim Diaz gets another chance AFCON final last minute penalty only to do a Panenka again and miss again with 50% or more of fans somehow approving of his decision

What's it called when you repeat same thing over and over again, expecting different results. 🤔

 

[Oldman]

It's easy to analyze because the mistakes are obvious. Van der Poel very clearly does not expect to win every race he enters. He admits Pogacar is better than him, yet he does not change his approach to maximize his chance of winning to reflect that.

Seriously it's all like Brahim Diaz gets another chance AFCON final last minute penalty only to do a Panenka again and miss again with 50% or more of fans somehow approving of his decision

If he admits after the fact and you question the approach he is being situationally realistic. It's amazing that many here pillory Tadej for demonstrating serious skills and denigrate all but the Belgian losers. Eddy would be embarrassed and he knows how he was treated by Spanish and French fans. If these postulations on tactics weren't so influenced by regional chauvinism they might be worth recommending to MvP.
"Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the face." Mike Tyson

 

[Red Rick]

If he admits after the fact and you question the approach he is being situationally realistic. It's amazing that many here pillory Tadej for demonstrating serious skills and denigrate all but the Belgian losers. Eddy would be embarrassed and he knows how he was treated by Spanish and French fans. If these postulations on tactics weren't so influenced by regional chauvinism they might be worth recommending to MvP.
"Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the face." Mike Tyson

Yes, I famously hates Dutch people. That must be the answer

 

[Gratemans]

Yes, I famously hates Dutch people. That must be the answer

Admittedly, we can be a self-loathing bunch.

 

[Gigs_98]

Ngl, people associating "submissively helping another guy to win while you are left with second" with "alpha male behaviour" is kinda funny.

 

[Maciek95]

It's a sporting ambition. It's more valuable for him to beat Pogacar in a clean fight than to complete another monument in a weak style. It's his choice, and I understand it.

 

[Netserk]

It's a sporting ambition. It's more valuable for him to beat Pogacar in a clean fight than to complete another monument in a weak style. It's his choice, and I understand it.

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[Oldman]

Yes, I famously hates Dutch people. That must be the answer

Belgians send death threats to other Belgian riders....Who knows what motivations require such analysis of guys riding a bike. Don't think there was an Alpecin rider in the same time zone as Mathieu so I'd rely on his judgement. He doesn't seem to whine or lose sleep over not winning since MSR gave him a dose already.

 

[Oldman]

Ngl, people associating "submissively helping another guy to win while you are left with second" with "alpha male behaviour" is kinda funny.

the characterization may say more about the commenter than the actual subject.

 

[Gratemans]

Belgians send death threats to other Belgian riders....Who knows what motivations require such analysis of guys riding a bike. Don't think there was an Alpecin rider in the same time zone as Mathieu so I'd rely on his judgement. He doesn't seem to whine or lose sleep over not winning since MSR gave him a dose already.

Now I certainly don't want to speak for Red Rick, but I feel his criticism of Mathieu is mostly out of a frustration that he knows he would be able to achieve better results by riding differently.
I'm not sure I agree, because if he rode differently, Pog would also react to that situation in a different matter, which doesn't make it a simple 1+1=2.

 

[Oldman]

Now I certainly don't want to speak for Red Rick, but I feel his criticism of Mathieu is mostly out of a frustration that he knows he would be able to achieve better results by riding differently.
I'm not sure I agree, because if he rode differently, Pog would also react to that situation in a different matter, which doesn't make it a simple 1+1=2.

That is the heart of what I witnessed. Tadej took every favorable meter of terrain to punish whoever could follow and had the poise to settle into a great tempo after. Rinse, repeat time and again. It was alot like Strade Bianche where he got gaps, settled in and monitored the chasers. To Rick's point the chasers seldom collaborated to any success. They rode to get what they could.

 

[jmdirt]

What's it called when you repeat same thing over and over again, expecting different results. 🤔

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