I am faster than Micky Van de Ven – Premier League centre-back makes big claim

Crystal Palace star Maxence Lacroix admits that he is a fan of Micky van de Ven, but makes a surprising claim about what would happen if he got into a foot race with the Dutchman.

Van de Ven is a force of nature in many respects, with the 6 ft 4 defender being capable of reaching lighting speed when he turns on his afterburners.

Many a forward in the Premier League have found out just how challenging it is to beat the Tottenham man in a straight foot race, with the 23-year-old often outpacing players without even hitting top gear.

Micky Van de Ven has been clocked in at a speed of 37.1 km/h, which is the top speed across the Premier League this season and he also clinched the record last season as well as in the Euros last summer.

Maxence Lacroix claims he is faster than Van de Ven

Lacroix is no slouch either, also emerging as one of the fastest defenders in the English top flight since his switch to Selhurst Park last summer.

The Frenchman knows the Tottenham Hotspur man well, having partnered him at centre-back at Wolfsburg previously, and he has now made a rather curious claim about the Netherlands international.

Lacroix told talkSPORT: “Micky is a really good talent and player. 100 metres? It’s a long race. He’s quick, but I think I can beat him.”

Lacroix has previously opened up on how proud of Micky Van de Ven he is after the Dutchman impressed so quickly after swapping Wolfsburg for Tottenham.

A 100-meter race is very different to a footrace on the football pitch

The demands of a 100-meter sprint are very different to the 20 to 30-meter sprints that players often do on the football pitch.

One would assume that Van de Ven might struggle to keep up his top speed for a sustained period, given his large physical frame.

However, that point is irrelevant as one’s acceleration off the mark and speed over relatively short distances are the only things that are relevant in football, with the Dutchman being at the top of the tree in those metrics.

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