2019 Amstel Gold-who ya got?

[bobswire]

Originally Posted by GregL

Fuglsang started the cat-and-mouse and Alaphilippe obliged him by playing the game. Instead of a two-up sprint, their gamble failed and they were swarmed by the chasers. VDP was superb.

Greg

I guess we shouldn't be surprised by him after watching how dominate he is in cyclocross, I like his go for it attitude with an engine to match dragging the bunch to catch the leaders then dropping them all.

[cal_len1]

I saw somewhere that Fuglsang was getting incorrect time gaps from the team car, so it's possible that was part of the issue in getting caught.

With the form MvdP was showing this year, his competitors have to be terrified for the years to come. Dragging the pack back, and outsprinting them, was one of the most incredible performances I've seen in a while.

[don'TreadOnMe]

Thanks x2 for the Sporza link. That's a great way to spend 6 minutes.
VDP is something else, gotta sit here grinning and shaking my head :-)

[Joxster]

Will he be with DQS next season?

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by Joxster

Will he be with DQS next season?

Last I read, he was going to honor his contract

M

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Joxster

Will he be with DQS next season?

Way this is going, DQS should just buy the team.

[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!

[pasadena]

VdP is the Dutch second coming.
He's winning without a team, so there is no pull for a strong team.
$ and Dutch roots will grab him next year.

Alafpolak and Fugelsang lost the race as much as VdP won but it was a group effort for a spectacular finish LOL

Kasia was awesome and won in big style, as she always does when she wins.

Great wins, can't wait for LBL and Fleche

[Ruimteaapje]

Originally Posted by Joxster

Will he be with DQS next season?

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.

[KonaSS]

They need a 3 way deal. DQS buys out the contract from Corendon Circus, then trades VDP to Jumbo Visma for Wout Van Aert. Then everyone would be on the right team!

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

They need a 3 way deal. DQS buys out the contract from Corendon Circus, then trades VDP to Jumbo Visma for Wout Van Aert. Then everyone would be on the right team!

what about evenpoel?! DQS already has him undercontract...*and* he's belgian.

alas remco is quite young, only 19 -- 5 years younger than van der poel and van aert, so remco could develop more gradually and learn the ropes as mathieu/wout develop on DQS squad as well.

[herb5998]

The finish alone was so impressive. Considering how some of the CX races quickly turned into race for 2nd with MVDP being so dominant, it's amazing to see him do it on the road. Certainly going to be a blast to watch him and Wout on the road more

[Jaybee]

I'm a big fan, but I never thought he'd be really in the mix in the big name classics, let alone animating the race/sprinting for the wins.

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.

Amazing bike rider.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

They need a 3 way deal. DQS buys out the contract from Corendon Circus, then trades VDP to Jumbo Visma for Wout Van Aert. Then everyone would be on the right team!

VDP or Van Aert on QuickStep would be like Kevin Durant on the Warriors.

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.

Anyway, I think he's staying with Corendon or some other team that will let him get through the MTB 2020 Olympics, then we will see.

[choke]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I'm a big fan, but I never thought he'd be really in the mix in the big name classics, let alone animating the race/sprinting for the wins.

His spring...

1st Amstel Gold Race
1st Dwars door Vlaanderen
1st Brabantse Pijl
1st GP Denain
4th Ronde van Vlaanderen
4th Gent-Wevelgem

There are a lot of riders who would be happy with that for a career.