"What disappoints me a bit is the negative vibe around Wout van Aert" - Marcel Kittel and Tom Boonen preview Spring Classics
CyclingTuesday, 23 January 2024 at 09:15
With the cyclocross campaign having almost having reached it's conclusion, attention for many is already turning towards the Spring Classics and whether or not Mathieu van der Poel will be able to continue his domination.
"Everyone who turned on their TV this winter will point in the same direction," says Classics legend, Tom Boonen in a preview of the upcoming spring for Sporza. "Mathieu van der Poel reaches a level at which I have not yet seen him."
Last year, the Spring was highlighted by van der Poel, van Aert and Tadej Pogacar. With the Slovenian targeting the Giro d'Italia this year though, a change to his schedule means no Tour of Flanders. Will van Aert and Team Visma | Lease a Bike see that as an advantage? Boonen isn't so sure. "With such a good van der Poel it is more of a disadvantage," he analyses. "The more souls, the merrier."
Marcel Kittel however, is more optimistic about the Belgian's chances. "What disappoints me a bit is the negative vibe around van Aert," the sprinting legend says. "He remains a top rider with so much talent. I still believe in him."
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- Wout is Right. They should be arrested. I mean they can't even protest right. The item holding isn't even Palestinian, its mesopotamia and used by many groups, well before the idea of a Palestinian Arab existed. I just hope the Italian police act but I wouldn't be suprised if they don't. It's time we all stand up to these terror supporters.HoopoeChai17-05-2025
- Not directed at you: Firstly, not going to trust a list that features Jay Vibe 28mins down. Secondly why if gaining 4 seconds over 500km is devastating do we criticise a superlative when Reusser gets ejected 20 seconds over 1km? Thirdly, is Matxin happy to tacitly leave his remaining riders to fight each other at the expense of team structure? I think yes. There’s a cat and there are mice and they can do what they like as long as the cat is away. I’m pretty sure the « selfish « attitude of Ayo is partly due to encouragement, after all, has anyone heard or witnessed him getting disciplined for any initiatives? It’s a little easy and cheap to focus attitude criticism on riders alone, there’s more to it.Mistermaumau17-05-2025
- Its crazy, One Issac del toro is not a climber, Majka will work so he will drop down. That leaves three guys onlyabstractengineer17-05-2025
- This was a mountain sprint, the first summit finish of many. If in the third week he is there and defeats other contenders, then only he will win. Too earlyabstractengineer17-05-2025
- Interesting to see whether del Toro eventually leapfrogs Ayuso in the UAE pecking order. Juan knows he needs to deliver this year or risk losing his ranking within the team.Renz17-05-2025
- Isaac Del T could win this race if they let him.Renz17-05-2025
- We noticed that. Not good enough today, but he needs to be good in the last week.
DareDevil16-05-2025 - Tiny bit too early to draw conclusions. Up till now Ayuso always failed in a big Tour on 1 or 2 days. And Roglic not...DareDevil16-05-2025
- We have ourselves a race :-)Mistermaumau16-05-2025
- Ok, not quite the same field this time though.Mistermaumau16-05-2025
WvA, has had a metal situ. about MvdP, he's never rode well when he was in a race with him, recently tho he's come better and has shown better in stage races than 'vdP. These 2 riders have past the challenge of cross races. Imagine if 'vA wins the Giro, who'll be the better rider ? vdP won the tour of Britain with his eyes closed, both of them need to suffer their horizons, as theyre both capable of winning better than a 1 hour race and they know it, the fact is, instead of the media hyping these races, can't the writing be better?
MVDP had one of the greatest seasons in cycling history last year. But take him (and a flat tire ) away, and Wout would have had essentially the same season: cx WC, rr WC, Roubaix, E3, G-W (which he gifted). Heck, he probably would even have won the WC in gravel, too, but for yet another flat.
Not sure there are any answers to MVDP, who has clearly reached another level. But strictly in terms of his form, there was nothing "down" about Wout's season. He was - and is - one of the best riders in the world. Any claim to the contrary is silly.