Thijs Zonneveld analyzes Mathieu van der Poel’s wattages in Ronde van Vlaanderen: ‘Sprint comparable to last year, but with a different result…’

• @media (max-width: 1000px){@media (min-width: 100vw){#fig-624cc3c3574aa img.lazyloading{background: #eee;}#fig-624cc3c3574aa img{#fig-624cc3c3574aa img.lazyloading{width: 26px;height: 26px;}}

  Mathieu van der Poel
  

Because Mathieu van der Poel puts all his training sessions and competitions – just like Wout van Aert – on Strava and also shares the wattages, we were already able to follow perfectly how he became stronger in Spain after his back problems.

@media (max-width: 679px){#fig-624cc3c35774e img.lazyloading{background: #eee;}#fig-624cc3c35774e img{#fig-624cc3c35774e img.lazyloading{width: 75px;height: 75px;}}@media (min-width: 680px)#fig-624cc3c35774e img.lazyloading{background: #eee;}#fig-624cc3c35774e img{#fig-624cc3c35774e img.lazyloading{width: 100px;height: 100px;}}

Our editor is watching Mathieu van der Poel’s Strava almost obsessively (and he’s hopeful…)

also watch

Column | I notice that I get up to every increased heart rate of Mathieu van der Poel

Thijs Zonneveld keeps a closer eye on those Strava activities than our editor in the column above. He checked the important moments of the race and saw what wattages Mathieu was driving there. First of all, the moment when he almost had to unload on the Paterberg, but with an ultimate effort he got back on Pogacar’s wheel.

From VDP’s Strava file: he kicks this piece 676 Watts in 25 seconds with a peak of 749 when he has to go back to Pogi’s wheel.

— Thijs Zonneveld (@thijszonneveld) April 3, 2022

At the Oude Kwaremont, MVDP also had to close a gap and that required a longer effort from Van der Poel. On the Koppenberg earlier in the race, Van der Poel rammed upwards for just under two minutes with 620 watts.

The Koppenberg, where the battle fell: 620 Watts for 1:42.

— Thijs Zonneveld (@thijszonneveld) April 3, 2022

And then of course that remarkable sprint with two…ehhh four. You can see from the sprint that Van der Poel has handled it very smartly. First catch the two from behind and then all out.

In comparison, his peak value in last year’s sprint with Asgreen was higher. 1470 Watts. But then he kicked 1160 in 12 seconds. Pretty comparable sprints actually. With a completely different result.

— Thijs Zonneveld (@thijszonneveld) April 3, 2022

And because Van der Poel – then by way of exception – also put the 2021 Tour on Strava, Zonneveld can nicely compare the two sprints. Conclusion: they were comparable, but with a very different result… Unfortunately, Tadej Pogacar never shares his rides on Strava, so his abilities at the decisive moments remain a mystery.