European Championship 2025: Men’s RR, October 5

[VayaVayaVaya]

31 seconds. That's less than a fifth Pogacar lost to him in a 40 km TT.

That doesn’t fully capture the dominance though does it?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hopefully with that math you are not implying Remco would have been close to Pogi.

Of course not. He would have won by 15 seconds.

 

[HashRouge]

I read an interview where Remco was pleased because he held Pogacar's wheel for longer than he has done before on this sort of climb. Is that the right tactic though? Would he be better off letting the wheel go, climbing at his own tempo, and then seeing what time he could claw back on the downhill/ flatter sections of the course? I know it likely wouldn't change the outcome, but I don't know that cooking yourself trying to hold Pogacar's wheel does any good. It's why his long range attacks are always so successful. Pick a steep hill, absolutely send it, cook the opposition, and then keep the gap because everyone else is blown from trying to hold your wheel on the climb.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Why doesn't Vingegaard just pretend it's a normal TDF stage? He wouldn't get dropped on a TDF stage if it had the same profile.

Tell all his competitors it's week three, and most of them are cooked at the starting line.

 

[Monsi]

Of course not. He would have won by 15 seconds.

So you're also assuming Pogi would've still been chilling in the last few kilometers if he saw Remco was just 20 seconds behind him?

 

[peterfin]

That doesn’t fully capture the dominance though does it?

No, when he passed him on the hill, on the cobbles, that captured the dominance.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

No, when he passed him on the hill, on the cobbles, that captured the dominance.

Yeah, no doubt. Remco dominated him in that Worlds ITT, but Pogacar won this with a much bigger margin than 31 seconds would indicate. There was a chasm there. Not as big as the gap between Remco and Pogi in that ItT, though, I would agree.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So you're also assuming Pogi would've still been chilling in the last few kilometers if he saw Remco was just 20 seconds behind him?

Of course.

 

[Monsi]

Of course.

Ah I see. Maybe Pogi could've also given him a high-five if Remco caught him while he's just chilling with the crowd.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I read an interview where Remco was pleased because he held Pogacar's wheel for longer than he has done before on this sort of climb. Is that the right tactic though? Would he be better off letting the wheel go, climbing at his own tempo, and then seeing what time he could claw back on the downhill/ flatter sections of the course? I know it likely wouldn't change the outcome, but I don't know that cooking yourself trying to hold Pogacar's wheel does any good. It's why his long range attacks are always so successful. Pick a steep hill, absolutely send it, cook the opposition, and then keep the gap because everyone else is blown from trying to hold your wheel on the climb.

Valid take. If Evenepoel just does his own pace he still drops the rest but doesn't blow up so they don't come back. He then is solo earlier, but can just go his own pace and likely never lets the gap go up over 1 minute.

Ah I see. Maybe Pogi could've also given him a high-five if Remco caught him while he's just chilling with the crowd.

Pog would break out pom-poms from his back pocket and cheer on Evenepoel.
"Remco Remco you're our man, if you can't beat me no one can!"

 

[Lequack]

'If he tries that, it could end badly' – Belgian national coach not expecting another monster breakaway by Pogačar in European Championships battle with Remco Evenepoel​

'If he tries that, it could end badly' – Belgian national coach not expecting another monster breakaway by Pogačar in European Championships battle with Remco Evenepoel

'One of the toughest courses ever for an international championship, tougher than Kigali for sure' says Serge Pauwels

www.cyclingnews.com

Well this didn't age well.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well this didn't age well.

Please consider applying at Wielerflits for your next job. It would suit you perfectly.

 

[Blanco]

It's got to be a bit strange to be Remco at the moment; a generational talent, arguably best TT rider in history, and to still be SOOOO far off Pogacar on the road. Crazy.

It's way too early for that claim. There's at least half a dozen guys who earn that recognition more.

 

[AlpRaid]

I read an interview where Remco was pleased because he held Pogacar's wheel for longer than he has done before on this sort of climb. Is that the right tactic though? Would he be better off letting the wheel go, climbing at his own tempo, and then seeing what time he could claw back on the downhill/ flatter sections of the course? I know it likely wouldn't change the outcome, but I don't know that cooking yourself trying to hold Pogacar's wheel does any good. It's why his long range attacks are always so successful. Pick a steep hill, absolutely send it, cook the opposition, and then keep the gap because everyone else is blown from trying to hold your wheel on the climb.

I, too, thought he may have cooked himself.

however, he clearly didn't since he recovered fast and ended up gapping all others by 3+ minutes. I'm glad it didn't take him out of the silver.

so, not a bad reference to make to see how long he can last if he goes into the red (as oppesed to 2024 TDF where he always stayed within himself).

 

[AlpRaid]

It's way too early for that claim. There's at least half a dozen guys who earn that recognition more.

he's just 25.

chances are...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's way too early for that claim. There's at least half a dozen guys who earn that recognition more.

Half a dozen? Really? Ok, Cancellara... Enquetil who was beating chain smokers who rode with their legs open, and i assume you will say Indurain which is rather funny as he only won 29 out of 100 ITT's he did, while Evenepoel is already at 23 out of 46. Who else?

 

[Peyroteo94]

31 seconds. That's less than a fifth Pogacar lost to him in a 40 km TT.

Dude, Pogacar slowed down... he had a 56"gap with 1 km to the finish.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Dude, Pogacar slowed down... he had a 56"gap with 1 km to the finish.

So, had the race lasted 1km longer, Remco would have won. Damn, so close.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Half a dozen? Really? Ok, Cancellara... Enquetil who was beating chain smokers who rode with their legs open, and i assume you will say Indurain which is rather funny as he only won 29 out of 100 ITT's he did, while Evenepoel is already at 23 out of 46. Who else?

The same can be said about Merckx and his Goat status.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The same can be said about Merckx and his Goat status.

Yes.

 

[Peyroteo94]

So, had the race lasted 1km longer, Remco would have won. Damn, so close.

You are joking but this is what makes some Remco fans insufferable to read (sometimes) for me.
Any reasonable person could see Pogacar (if he wanted) could finish this race with a 1' gap or close to 1' (55"-1'05").

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes.

This might be the first belgian to say Merckx's era was a joke and Pogacar is clearly better.

 

[Danskebjerge]

I read an interview where Remco was pleased because he held Pogacar's wheel for longer than he has done before on this sort of climb. Is that the right tactic though? Would he be better off letting the wheel go, climbing at his own tempo, and then seeing what time he could claw back on the downhill/ flatter sections of the course? I know it likely wouldn't change the outcome, but I don't know that cooking yourself trying to hold Pogacar's wheel does any good. It's why his long range attacks are always so successful. Pick a steep hill, absolutely send it, cook the opposition, and then keep the gap because everyone else is blown from trying to hold your wheel on the climb.

Good point, at least when you look at how Pogacar easily stays a minute in front of the chasing group even though he doesn't have a wheel to be sitting behind.

 

[peterfin]

You are joking but this is what makes some Remco fans insufferable to read (sometimes) for me.
Any reasonable person could see Pogacar (if he wanted) could finish this race with a 1' gap or close to 1' (55"-1'05").

Seixas was still down about 3m40 when crossing the line, the same as a few km earlier, and he was going all in to be 3rd. So Pogacar didn't slow down a lot. Pogacar might have lost 5-10s max during the final km by slowing down. The difference to Remco would have been 35-40s if he continued his efforts. So Remco did gain about 20s as he put out a final effort, adding to the 20s he gained prior. Could Pogacar push harder to keep the gap to 1min? Maybe but I would give the TT champ some credit when he decides to go all in during the last few kms. It was likely insufficient, even if they added 10km flat, but he did everything to keep it close.

 

[dobrien]

It's way too early for that claim. There's at least half a dozen guys who earn that recognition more.

Note the use of the word "arguably", but at the same time, please don't try to say he isn't at least in that discussion. Imho that would be silly.