2019 Amstel Gold-who ya got?

[azrider]

Yep......can't wait to see what this kid does......already way more fun to watch than Sagan

[batman1425]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I kinda like his current setup - he's free to do what he wants in any race. No need to block for Stybar or chase down a break for Gilbert or hang out while Alaphillipe is up the road.

The problem I foresee is that he's been so successful he's now now a marked rider and the privateer style success will get harder and harder without some better support. All depends on his goals though. If an olympic medal is still the big goal then having the schedule flexibility to race and train in whatever discipline he wants to support a 2020 bid is a big plus.

[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I figured the transition from racing an hour to racing 4 hours, plus the tactical nature of road riding, plus all the experience and firepower he was up against would make this spring a learning curve year.

I see this sentiment a lot, and I get it. but I think people need to also remember it's not like the dude has never raced on the road. he was junior world champ in 2013, for starters. he's won many road races since then, despite barely racing on the road. yes, the tactics, skill, and strength he's up against now are much higher. but it's not like he hasn't grown either. and remember, he's the Dutch champ, and got 2nd in the 2018 European road race. no, I didn't expect his results to be quite this high this season either. but one thing I did know, from watching years of him racing CX: when they were a few km's from the finish and the announcers said "well good for him, he should get a top ten then..." I knew he'd be sprinting for the win.

[MattTuck]

One classics season, seems enough to crown him as the next eddy.

[thegunner]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

One classics season, seems enough to crown him as the next eddy.

half* a classics season lol

[AngryScientist]

...

"I have seen a lot of bike races and I have seen a lot of bike racers. I have never seen anything like this," Lance Armstrong on today's Amstel Gold. JB and Lance break down the most exciting Classic of the season. Hear why Lance called it the greatest finish of any bike race he has watched or been in.

[72gmc]

I am eager for him to go to MTB now. Leave 'em wanting more.

[pasadena]

His current team won't get the invites to all the races he is likely to want to race.
Also his UCI points are a valuable commodity. He will get more $,exposure and big race days on a protour team.

Slotting into team leadership role for his races will not be a problem.

Originally Posted by Ruimteaapje

Out of the question. With Corendon he is one of the best paid riders of the pro peloton and Mathieu can do whatever he wants: a full CX season, some spring classics, then on a mountainbike for the rest of the season before returning to CX, without having to worry about team orders or tactics. With DQS he would be pushed into joined leadership, forced to hold his horses when Alaphilippe, Jungels, Gilbert one of the others is in the break.

Oh, and Adrie and Lefevere would be an accident waiting to happen.

[m4rk540]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

That was fun to watch.

Wonder if he has stage racing potential or strictly a one day racer? If he isn't interested in stage races, seems he could continue CX and ride the classics.

Was trying to describe this to a family member (who doesn't understand cycling) at Easter dinner, and the closest I could get was if Joe Montana's grand son decided to play baseball as a pitcher, and then decided he wanted to give football a try, got signed to the Cleveland Browns, and in his first few games, started throwing touch downs like Patrick Mahomes did this season.

Not a perfect analogy, but exciting final 5k!

I'm as confused as your family members and I follow baseball, football and cycling.

On second read, cyclocross equals baseball and Joe Montana was a road racer? And the Browns suck? Am I close?

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by m4rk540

I'm as confused as your family members and I follow baseball, football and cycling.

On second read, cyclocross equals baseball and Joe Montana was a road racer? And the Browns suck? Am I close?

I think you got it. Trying to put his cycling pedigree in context, and his ability to switch disciplines and perform at an equally high level.

[m4rk540]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

I think you got it. Trying to put his cycling pedigree in context, and his ability to switch disciplines and perform at an equally high level.

I'd go with Brian O'Driscoll as the grandad and Corendon-Circus would be the 2005 Niners who prolly would have been blown out by the SC teams of that era.

[ultraman6970]

Wonder if the kid did track or actually does track in his regime. The other detail is that probably the duo at the front was just done, they did not have anything else in the tank and at that point no matter if you go with 56x10 or 53x15, you are not going to move it. But clearly the kid has his punch and a really powerfull one because that sprint was very long IMO.

Great for the winner.

ps: what happened to sagan?

[weisan]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

ps: What happened to sagan?

dnf

[thegunner]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

Wonder if the kid did track or actually does track in his regime. The other detail is that probably the duo at the front was just done, they did not have anything else in the tank and at that point no matter if you go with 56x10 or 53x15, you are not going to move it. But clearly the kid has his punch and a really powerfull one because that sprint was very long IMO.

Great for the winner.

ps: what happened to sagan?

he dropped out before the exciting bits.

[Onion]

truly remarkable to do most of the work to close a gap that fast and then to sprint from that far out with that much force. never seen anything quite like it.