You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Sooo... another CX race, another improbable performance by MvdP (I won't say which race, I'm still catching up on the Christmas races).
I also watched the European MTB Champs where MvdP crashed while leading the 1st lap, but still pulled through to win with about 1 minute to spare.
Not to mention the Amstel Gold road race where he pulled a train of several riders for the last 20(?)km before catching up to Alaphillipe and Fuglsang and outsprinting them for the line.
A realistic chance at the Road world champs as well.
Now granted, the Amstel Gold finish was epic viewing, but even by then I had become bored of watching him making the rest of the competition look completely outclassed, it sort of takes the excitement out of racing, even makes it seem a little bit mickey mouse, as if Barcelona had been dropped into the Scottish Premier League.
But how does he do it? I know what all the cynics will say, but I just don't believe there's anything dodgy going on, he makes it too obvious, it would be inviting attention. So how, in this day and age, can someone be just so much stronger and fitter than his competition, in multiple disciplines? You would think there would be scientists genuinely interested in his genetics!
For the record, I'm a WvA fan, especially when he transitioned to road where he looks good, competitive, but still makes it look realistic, loved his Strade Bianche finishes, especially last year when I genuinely wondered if he could catch and overturn the two leaders (he didn't but it was awesome watching anyway). Winning the sprint against Viviani was brilliant viewing also, if only for Viviani's reaction LOL.
p.s. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE no drugs inferences, unless there is at least some foundation to them other than him being really really good. Ta
Drugs and motors, replaces an aging Sagan and covered up by the omerta
Exceptional genetics, European mtb champs not a particularly high class field when compared to an elite cx and road rider who is happy on a mtb. WVA has run him close and beat him in 2017 worlds
. WVA has run him close and beat him in 2017 worlds
no
MVDP has beaten WVA 51 times, WVA has beaten MVDP 10 times
MVDP has beaten WVA 51 times, WVA has beaten MVDP 10 times
Run close ≠ always beats
MVDP has beaten WVA 51 times, WVA has beaten MVDP 10 times
Yeah, much as I like WvA, I've rarely seen him trouble MvdP unless MvdP was rattled by a crash or something. I do wonder if WvA has an edge on the road but the only chance to compare was the European Road Champs when Trentin outsprinted MvdP and WvA. Even then, I think MvdP came second?
Toon Aert seems able to run MvdP closer, TA looked like he would have taken Namur if he hadn't crashed.
In general though he's miles ahead, he can start at the back of the pack and still win with several bike lengths to spare.
I'd have taken the Namur result with a bit of a pinch of salt if TA hadn't have crashed, as MvDP had just come back from a massive training camp and wasn't going to be the freshest with 40hrs in his legs.
Watch the guy race and he's on the gas everywhere, gaining all the free time available. That and some massive horsepower along the straight and power sections, he's a mobile masterclass in cross racing.
I’d have taken the Namur result with a bit of a pinch of salt if TA hadn’t have crashed, as MvDP had just come back from a massive training camp and wasn’t going to be the freshest with 40hrs in his legs.
...although it was his third race since that camp, and he'd already one since coming back! Doubt he'd have done anything during the training camp to jeopardise Christmas CX season? Apparently most important part of season.
Seem to remember his target for 2020 is Tokyo MTB. He can't win UCI world CX Cup, doubt he can win DVV Trofee, not sure about other series.
Doubt he’d have done anything during the training camp to jeopardise Christmas CX season? Apparently most important part of season.
Unless you're already a multi-millionaire early 20's cycling star who's season objectives are probably retaining worlds title, then winning early season road classics and MTB race at Tokyo.
Great race yesterday what a come back if drugs made you that good thousands of people would be on them just a great talent and enjoy they don't come around too often.
Given that the best riders seem to keep a fairly consistent form even through the off season, doing cross is a good choice. He's a damn good rider, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in action during 2020 with QS
I’m looking forward to seeing him in action during 2020 with QS
???
He’s on Alpecin-Fenix for 2020
Thought he’d got a multi year deal with Corendon.
And still has his name and pic all over the road at what is known locally as Duchy Corner in Harrogate
Much to the amusement of many and the ire of a few 🤣🤣
Thought he’d got a multi year deal with Corendon.
Corendon-Cirus is Alpecin-Fenix as of 1/1/20
Glad I wasn’t imagining that then.
I think MvdP is the best thing to happen in CX in a century.
Its for the other competition to seek out his dominance, not for him to dumb down.
Don't turn this thread into some witch hunt and drug filled ignorance.
I have no answers to proffer, but share the OP's question. Indeed, there are a few women of whom I might ask the same thing. Women I love, I might add, and with whom I would never want to associate drug use, but who ride like they have superpowers. Marianne Vos comes to mind.
Had forgotten about Vos, hadn't seen her race much recently.
Actually, looking closer to home, has MvdP beaten Nino Schurter? Were Schurter's victories as dominant as MvdP's?
Had forgotten about Vos, hadn’t seen her race much recently.
Actually, looking closer to home, has MvdP beaten Nino Schurter? Were Schurter’s victories as dominant as MvdP’s?
I think Schurter was as dominant in 2016/17 as MvdP has been the past year or so. In fact I think Schurter was more dominant when you think he was completely unbeaten for a seaon in WC rounds as well as winning the World Champs, Cape Epic, Sea Otter Classic etc. All of htis was on the back of winning an Olympic gold as well which is far more than MvdP has acheived...yet!
From what the commentator was saying during one of the Xmas CX races, Vos has been having back issues so hasn't been on form lately. I'm sure she'll be back to the top level soon enough though, it's hard to believe that she's only 32 considering everything she's acheived in the sport.
he (vdP) genuinely seems head & shoulders above the rest in pretty much all aspects, though just having moar power probably allows you to look like a better rider through mud & sand too, I guess. Even the finesse bits, though, he sometimes does the off-cambers best too and you can't really smash out the watts on them. I really enjoyed watching little Tommy Piddles show him the way up that bank last week, mind !
He rarely seems to actually ride full-gas to me - maybe 1 of 6-8 laps in a race but otherwise he's just matching the rest. ****ing terrifying, however he's achieving it !
VdP only rode a few of the mountain bike World Cups and beat Schurter three times - quite convincingly at Nove Mesto where he dropped him for about 20 seconds on the last lap climb on a course felt to favour the Swiss. Hard to see past VdP for the Olympic MTB Gold.
As mentioned before, MvdP's father was a pro rider, and his maternal grandfather is the late Poulidor, so he got his genetics sorted. However, what I think really sets him apart is that he has been riding and racing basically since birth. His balance and skills on a bike are something else, and I doubt there is CX rider with better technical ability. I've heard some of the Belgium pro riders say that he rides different lines around corners and at a speed that they simply cannot hold.
It follows that going faster through corners conserves energy and allows MvdP to create gaps in technical sections without putting in more effort. Combine this with proper genes and life-long interval training and, well, this happens, and has been happening for a while now. He can actually win the Diegem race this evening for the 10th time in 10 races: https://sporza.be/nl/2019/12/29/foto-wint-mathieu-van-der-poel-9-keer-op-een-rij-in-diegem/.
Just watching MvdP race at Diegem.
He's a different level to the other riders. Must be utterly deflating for the rest of the riders seeing him ride off into the distance!
Women I love, I might add, and with whom I would never want to associate drug use, but who ride like they have superpowers.
I was wondering where you were going with that.. 😂
I like the way he 100% looks the part (compared to Froome, say). If ever there was an athlete who passed the eyeball test. If you asked a marvel comicbook artist to draw a cycling superhero it would look like MvdP - never seen a more purposeful looking cyclist. His form and silhouette on the bike stands out a mile.
MvdP’s father was a pro rider
That's underselling Adri a little! World CX champ, multiple Classic and tour stage winner.
MVdP is simply better than everyone else. When you watch him up close he does things that others just can't either by dint of his power, finesse, or raw skill.
If it wasn't for the fact that he's a pretty big unit (so big mountains are out) he could win anything that he wanted to. I suppose he'll have to make do with everything else!