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

[Extinction]

I expect him to finish top 5, or podium if he's actually in top shape. I wouldn't be surprised if he's dropped by the likes of Jorgenson and Roglic on the Galibier though.

The thing is the crash meant he still had much work to do for the climbs at the Dauphine, but seemed to have finished in crescendo. The past two weeks thus were crucial to arrive at the Tour close to 💯, let's say at 98%, to be at 💯 by the stage 7 TT and then hold it till the end of the Tour. In theory it should be doable, especially considering he didn't have a first peak for LBL. So if he can get through the first stages and the Galibier without losing time, or negligable time, then he could surpass expectations. Of course that all also depends on how he handles his first Tour mentally and how high his level is. If I were his coach, I'd be trying to make him feel as relaxed and focussed as possible.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So basically they are riding with 7...

They should have taken Asgreen instead. Hirt even in form, is mostly useless as a supporting rider. Gets dropped early and then in the background he climbs his own pace. In case they expect Evenepoel to drop early, Hirt will not play a role. But in case they expect Evenepoel to drop early, what is even the point.

 

[Flurk1982]

Lefevre confirmed in newspaper this week Evenepoel had to lose 1kg (and not 2 kg) between Dauphine and start Tour. I think this is doable.
If he's in top shape from the start he could do some damage to other GC riders in stage 1 and 2.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Lefevre confirmed in newspaper this week Evenepoel had to lose 1kg (and not 2 kg) between Dauphine and start Tour. I think this is doable.
If he's in top shape from the start he could do some damage to other GC riders in stage 1 and 2.

Which means Remco was only 1 kg from his optimal weight at the Dauphine! Optimal weight definition is very fuzzy, it seems.

 

[Andre]

...and what can be expected from Moscon? They say he is unpredictable with his form

 

[red_flanders]

Which means Remco was only 1 kg from his optimal weight at the Dauphine! Optimal weight definition is very fuzzy, it seems.

Historically, teams have been very tight lipped about actual rider weight leading up to the Tour.

Luckily we can now determine exact weights by looking at photos.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Which means Remco was only 1 kg from his optimal weight at the Dauphine! Optimal weight definition is very fuzzy, it seems.

Yes, according to their current belief of what his optimal weight is. Changes every year. Giro 2021, 60kg. Vuelta 2022, 62kg. Giro 2023, 63 kg. Tour 2024,... i assume something around 65kg. If Evenepoel gets to have a long career, we may see him go for yellow in the high mountains weighing something around 75kg.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Yes, according to their current belief of what his optimal weight is. Changes every year. Giro 2021, 60kg. Vuelta 2022, 62kg. Giro 2023, 63 kg. Tour 2024,... i assume something around 65kg. If Evenepoel gets to have a long career, we may see him go for yellow in the high mountains weighing something around 75kg.

The new Indurain or...Ullrich!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The new Indurain or...Ullrich!

Paging Shadowrider!

 

[Froome]

Yes, according to their current belief of what his optimal weight is. Changes every year. Giro 2021, 60kg. Vuelta 2022, 62kg. Giro 2023, 63 kg. Tour 2024,... i assume something around 65kg. If Evenepoel gets to have a long career, we may see him go for yellow in the high mountains weighing something around 75kg.

Maybe will work, if they think he is the new Miguel Indurain.

Now seriously, i don't think he weighs 65 at the start of the Tour, a bit less at least.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe will work, if they think he is the new Miguel Indurain.

Now seriously, i don't think he weighs 65 at the start of the Tour, a bit less at least.

I was slightly joking. I assume they want him to be somewhere around 63kg or little over. But even with 63, and in great shape, he will be multiple minutes off in GC.

 

[Berniece]

Tour 2024,... i assume something around 65kg.

Such exaggeration. I doubt he weighs more than at the Giro of 2023.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Such exaggeration. I doubt he ways more than at the Giro of 2023.

lol, yes, i thought the next sentence made that clear.

 

[Berniece]

lol, yes, i thought the next sentence made that clear.

I can't tell anymore, since you are very critical of his weight

 

[Andre]

...I said it once a few years ago...riders should weigh in at the start just like boxers do.

 

[Valv.Piti]

They should have taken Asgreen instead. Hirt even in form, is mostly useless as a supporting rider. Gets dropped early and then in the background he climbs his own pace. In case they expect Evenepoel to drop early, Hirt will not play a role. But in case they expect Evenepoel to drop early, what is even the point.

Plus Asgreen is a solid stagehunter on transitional stages. Makes no sense to me either to select mediocre climbers, they are the most useless of them all unless you wanna control the race which I dont expect QS to do unless Remco unleashes his inner Eddy.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I can't tell anymore, since you are very critical of his weight

I can only hope the madness stops at 63kg, and can understand he'd be a bit above that now since he was behind schedule.

 

[red_flanders]

...I said it once a few years ago...riders should weigh in at the start just like boxers do.

Interesting. Why?

Seems like the one bit of data they keep close to the vest these days. I don't have any strong feelings about it, just curious how you feel it would improve things.

 

[Nick2413]

...I said it once a few years ago...riders should weigh in at the start just like boxers do.

Would they do it the reverse of how boxers do it? Bloat up to 75kg then be 62kg race day?

 

[Extinction]

Interesting. Why?

Seems like the one bit of data they keep close to the vest these days. I don't have any strong feelings about it, just curious how you feel it would improve things.

Because if Vingegaard is weighing 61 kg and crushing it uphill and in the TT, like last year, at Remco's stature and at 63kg he has no chance in hell of beating him. The modern system says you gotta get lighter without losing power, and the mega-budget teams seem to have found the magic formula (no clinical issues intended). Whereas Soudal seems to be way behind in this game changing aspect. But let's see over the next weeks if they have improved.

 

[red_flanders]

Because if Vingegaard is weighing 61 kg and crushing it uphill and in the TT, like last year, at Remco's stature and at 63kg he has no chance in hell of beating him. The modern system says you gotta get lighter without losing power, and the mega-budget teams seem to have found the magic formula (no clinical issues intended). Whereas Soudal seems to be way behind in this game changing aspect. But let's see over the next weeks if they have improved.

I do understand the basics of watts/kg. +1 on your Soudal/mega-budget teams comments.

My question is about why a pre-Tour weigh-in, or making exact rider weights public, would be desirable for the sport. Again, no strong feelings either way, just curious about @Andre 's POV on it.

 

[FroomeWagon]

I do understand the basics of watts/kg. +1 on your Soudal/mega-budget teams comments.

My question is about why a pre-Tour weigh-in, or making exact rider weights public, would be desirable for the sport. Again, no strong feelings either way, just curious about @Andre 's POV on it.

I'm not saying it would be a good thing, but I think a lot of fans would be interested in seeing those numbers just like they like to look at power numbers.

For example, if a list of all the riders weights the night before stage 1 were posted, would you be interested in looking at it? I know I would, and of course would enjoy listening to all the speculation of what those numbers were to mean for the race.

 

[Extinction]

I do understand the basics of watts/kg. +1 on your Soudal/mega-budget teams comments.

My question is about why a pre-Tour weigh-in, or making exact rider weights public, would be desirable for the sport. Again, no strong feelings either way, just curious about @Andre 's POV on it.

You know it's interesting that in Euro cycling metaphor cycling is always compared to boxing. Getting punched in the face, after all isn't very different from being attacked. So perhaps knowing rider weights would let everybody grasp who they are up against, but only the lower the weight with respect to sustainable power determines the heavyweight category. Because they punch harder. 😛

 

[Andre]

Interesting. Why?

Seems like the one bit of data they keep close to the vest these days. I don't have any strong feelings about it, just curious how you feel it would improve things.

It's simple, it would save so much speculation as to the actual weight. It would have saved us a few pages of guessing their weight. Am I wrong in thinking like this?

 

[Andre]

Like @FroomeWagon said: it would make for an interesting stat to read into. Then you can compare certain riders' weight to other performances in other races. I mean, the teams already know their riders' weight but the other teams don't know. Maybe it could lead to more strategies; like a chess game in trying to outsmart your opponent between the team directors or trainers.