Teams & Riders The Remco Evenepoel is the next Eddy Merckx thread

[Berniece]

Indeed. But I haven't the inside information about Van wilder allowing me to know the reasons of his disappointing performance. Logic should know, but he keeps spewing mist.
Anyway, if overtrained, I hope for Van wilder that the forced rest due to his crash will allow him to recover.

If it has anything to do with SOQ training methods he would've shared it, so I don't think he's overtrained. Maybe just an unlucky season at the moment that the wrong things happen at the wrong time.

 

[houtdffan]

"There was some concern about Remco Evenepoel's health during the Dauphine" - Covid fears infiltrated Soudal - Quick-Step's Tour de France warm up

Remco Evenepoel showed some bright moments at the 2024 Criterium du Dauphine, but his climbing legs still left something to be desired just a few weeks out from his Tour de France debut.According to l...

cyclinguptodate.com

Remco got sick in the Dauphine. Not sure if Allergies or Covid again...

I like how he did not make an excuse during the race

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

"There was some concern about Remco Evenepoel's health during the Dauphine" - Covid fears infiltrated Soudal - Quick-Step's Tour de France warm up

Remco Evenepoel showed some bright moments at the 2024 Criterium du Dauphine, but his climbing legs still left something to be desired just a few weeks out from his Tour de France debut.According to l...

cyclinguptodate.com

Remco got sick in the Dauphine. Not sure if Allergies or Covid again...

I like how he did not make an excuse during the race

He spoke of his dust mite allergy twice and said he was not able to get a good night's sleep because 2 hotels had carpet in his room.

 

[ManicJack]

He spoke of his dust mite allergy twice and said he was not able to get a good night's sleep because 2 hotels had carpet in his room.

Sounds like they need to take a page out of the marginal gains playbook and bring their own vacuum cleaners.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Prediction time guys.

How many stages will he win at the Tour.
Realistically, he has no chance of winning it with Pogacar there.
I have a feeling he'll take 2/3 stages and have a good experience in his first Tour.

Trying to match van Aerts Tour 2022 campaign, that would be something.

 

[shadowrider]

Sounds like they need to take a page out of the marginal gains playbook and bring their own vacuum cleaners.

They do, but with carpets that's not enough.

 

[shadowrider]

Trying to match van Aerts Tour 2022 campaign, that would be something.

Almost impossible. It's another context. Van Aert was not riding for the GC. Van Aert could win sprints (Evenepoel can not) and was allowed to go in a break during the Ventoux-stage. I think the only stagewin possibility is the first TT. Unless he is later put on at 10 minutes and given the freedom to attack.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Almost impossible. It's another context. Van Aert was not riding for the GC. Van Aert could win sprints (Evenepoel can not) and was allowed to go in a break during the Ventoux-stage. I think the only stagewin possibility is the first TT. Unless he is later put on at 10 minutes and given the freedom to attack.

TT, semi-mountain and flat sprint, both from the breakaway. I feel that could be possible, obviously if Remco not in a favourable GC position any more.

 

[Billy The Kid]

My preferred team for le tour would be this:
Remco,Landa,Van Wilder,Hirt,Vervaeke, Lampaert,Moscon and Asgreen. For me this is a balanced team with strength in the mountains and on the flat terrain. A mix of routine and young spirit. Its a question mark over IvW form and i believe its wise to put Hirt in the team so that Remco and Landa dont get isolated to early in the toughest mountain stages. One can also debate If Casper Pedersen should take Asgreen’s place.Right now Asgreen is lacking the last perentages of top form, but i see that he is on the right way and he can be a valuable road captain for Remco. Thoughts?

 

[shadowrider]

My preferred team for le tour would be this:
Remco,Landa,Van Wilder,Hirt,Vervaeke, Lampaert,Moscon and Asgreen. For me this is a balanced team with strength in the mountains and on the flat terrain. A mix of routine and young spirit. Its a question mark over IvW form and i believe its wise to put Hirt in the team so that Remco and Landa dont get isolated to early in the toughest mountain stages. One can also debate If Casper Pedersen should take Asgreen’s place.Right now Asgreen is lacking the last perentages of top form, but i see that he is on the right way and he can be a valuable road captain for Remco. Thoughts?

That's also my team. But..... Van Wilder is out of shape, although he will participate. Hirt rode the Giro for a top 10 ranking. What I do not understand. He was not scheduled for the Tour. But I read that he now also participates in the short altitude training. But he will not be in top form and will probably have to let go early during every final climb. Ironically the Soudal-Quickstep team will be less strong than the team during the Vuelta 22. Finally, Lampaert crashed yesterday in Switzerland....

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hirt has been completely and utterly useless for the past 2 years in every race except for the Giro where he could ride for himself.
Van Wilder is not out of shape.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Hirt has been completely and utterly useless for the past 2 years in every race except for the Giro where he could ride for himself.
Van Wilder is not out of shape.

Not out of shape, just kinda bad

 

[shadowrider]

Hirt has been completely and utterly useless for the past 2 years in every race except for the Giro where he could ride for himself.
Van Wilder is not out of shape.

I agree with the first. I don't with the second. But, concerning Van wilder, let's hope that a few days rest and a week altitude training bring it to an acceptable level.

 

[Berniece]

I agree with the first. I don't with the second. But, concerning Van wilder, let's hope that a few days rest and a week altitude training bring it to an acceptable level.

Useless discussion until the first stage of the TDF, we just don’t know until then. I still believe he’ll be in great shape, just like he was for Giro ‘23

 

[shadowrider]

Useless discussion until the first stage of the TDF, we just don’t know until then. I still believe he’ll be in great shape, just like he was for Giro ‘23

As we hope for every rider. Leaders, sprinters, allrounders and domestiques.

 

[AmRacer]

As we hope for every rider. Leaders, sprinters, allrounders and domestiques.

Noooo, not sprinters. Only Cav.

 

[Billy The Kid]

Hirt has been completely and utterly useless for the past 2 years in every race except for the Giro where he could ride for himself.
Van Wilder is not out of shape.

Second in Tour of Oman and 8th in the Giro is pretty good. Besides that i agree. He was bought to assist Remco in GT high mountains and has not done his job good enough thus far. I still believe its an advantage to have him in the tour team and make him save energy in every flat stage and focus solely to assist on the mountain stages. He is probably around 20-25th best climber in the tour, Landa 10-12th(On a good day he is top 10 climber). Landa looked really good before the crash in Basque country. I hope he gets back to that level or better in the tour.Dauphine was a promising comeback.

 

[velaso montador]

Think this belgian wizzard will surprise one or two come this GT and unlock atleast some keys he has been missing. I strangely enough have a sneaky good feeling about his trajectory heading in for some wierd reasons. Allez Alez Remco

 

[hfgon1]

I dont even think that he will be able to win the white jersey.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Think this belgian wizzard will surprise one or two come this GT and unlock atleast some keys he has been missing. I strangely enough have a sneaky good feeling about his trajectory heading in for some wierd reasons. Allez Alez Remco

You have faith, that's all.

 

[Extinction]

Think this belgian wizzard will surprise one or two come this GT and unlock atleast some keys he has been missing. I strangely enough have a sneaky good feeling about his trajectory heading in for some wierd reasons. Allez Alez Remco

It's his first Tour so let's see.

 

[Berflamand]

My preferred team for le tour would be this:
Remco,Landa,Van Wilder,Hirt,Vervaeke, Lampaert,Moscon and Asgreen. For me this is a balanced team with strength in the mountains and on the flat terrain. A mix of routine and young spirit. Its a question mark over IvW form and i believe its wise to put Hirt in the team so that Remco and Landa dont get isolated to early in the toughest mountain stages. One can also debate If Casper Pedersen should take Asgreen’s place.Right now Asgreen is lacking the last perentages of top form, but i see that he is on the right way and he can be a valuable road captain for Remco. Thoughts?

I think I would replace Moscon with Casper Pedersen and keep Asgreen in the team.

I'm also not that high on Hirt but I don't really see a better alternative. That should always have been Cattaneo's place but sadly he's injured. Serry is also injured, Alaphilippe is focussing on the Olympics, Knox didn't impress at Dauphiné and Masnada couldn't finish Suisse. So yeah, it'll probably be Hirt.

 

[Berniece]

I think I would replace Moscon with Casper Pedersen and keep Asgreen in the team.

I'm also not that high on Hirt but I don't really see a better alternative. That should always have been Cattaneo's place but sadly he's injured. Serry is also injured, Alaphilippe is focussing on the Olympics, Knox didn't impress at Dauphiné and Masnada couldn't finish Suisse. So yeah, it'll probably be Hirt.

I don't think it will matter that much. It's not like Evenepoel will lead the TDF for multiple days, so his team doesn't have to carry the race. He has enough with Landa and Van Wilder around him.

 

[Berflamand]

I don't think it will matter that much. It's not like Evenepoel will lead the TDF for multiple days, so his team doesn't have to carry the race. He has enough with Landa and Van Wilder around him.

Probably true but not having Cattaneo will be the biggest loss imo. He has been Remco's most loyal domestique the past years and has always come through, even when his climbing form was lacking, he was still really important on flatter sections.

I hope he/they can fix his health problems sooner rather than later.

 

[Berniece]

Probably true but not having Cattaneo will be the biggest loss imo. He has been Remco's most loyal domestique the past years and has always come through, even when his climbing form was lacking, he was still really important on flatter sections.

I hope he/they can fix his health problems sooner rather than later.

I agree, he was a great help in the Vuelta last year. He's the perfect guy to send with an early attack, and help later in the race.