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

[Extinction]

Well, that has nothing to do with it. I have always been convinced of his potential and i have always liked him as a rider, i think that much was obvious from this thread. I think had he gone to UAE in 2019, he would have already won the TDF. My frustration comes from this ridiculous narrative that he supposedly is not able to get his climbing weight down without a Giro '21 or Vuelta '23 scenario happen (while he was a lot more heavy that last time, but for that his weight is never mentioned). If the 61.5kg is true (and they achieved that riskfree), he is not far off of what i think would put him in dominator mode (by which i mean ballpark Vingegaard/Pogacar). But that's simply not going to happen when he's waggling around looking like a pastry.

Here's hoping to Soudal knowing how to extract his full potential at this Tour and then build upon it. On the ridiculous narrative, it's as if Soudal doesn't take into account his Giro 21 was caused by precipitous entry, while the Vuelta 23 was owing to making a priority of the WITT. His optimal weight depends on how light he can be without losing power, but under optimal preparation. Neither of those cases fit the bill.

 

[red_flanders]

First time since august 2022, that he will ride in the regular team's jersey. In the past two years he either wore the WCC RR, WCC ITT, NC RR, NC ITT, leaders jersey, BYR jersey, mountain jersey or points jersey.

Minor quibble, isn't he going to be wearing the TT WC jersey during the Tour?

 

[Oldermanish]

Never found myself wanting this guy to succeed as much as I do this year in this Tour and I have no idea why either, guess im just a sucker for talent in general.

And Remco isn't banging his drum just to be heard. Want him to get in top 5 or better just so he's getting prepared for his future!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Here's hoping to Soudal knowing how to extract his full potential at this Tour and then build upon it. On the ridiculous narrative, it's as if Soudal doesn't take into account his Giro 21 was caused by precipitous entry, while the Vuelta 23 was owing to making a priority of the WITT. His optimal weight depends on how light he can be without losing power, but under optimal preparation. Neither of those cases fit the bill.

Personally i do not expect them to "unlock" his full potential this TDF. But hopefully he can get close enough that he can show he can make life hard of the two GT dominators in the future if he takes a few more steps. I don't know how close he will ever get, or if he will ever get to that level, but if he isn't able to distance himself (in a positive way) from riders as Jorgenson, Hindley, Vlasov, Almeida, Rodriguez etc... that he is being wasted on this team and that they have not nearly unlocked his full potential.

Never found myself wanting this guy to succeed as much as I do this year in this Tour and I have no idea why either, guess im just a sucker for talent in general.

Probably because he's had his share of both misfortune as well as haters who fail to see how good he really is/can be.

 

[Extinction]

I don't know how close he will ever get, or if he will ever get to that level, but if he isn't able to distance himself (in a positive way) from riders as Jorgenson, Hindley, Vlasov, Almeida, Rodriguez etc... that he is being wasted on this team and that they have not nearly unlocked his full potential.

Agreed

 

[memyselfandI]

(as Mod)
Can we try to stay on topic? I know that conversation naturally evolves, but I have just moved 25 posts over the the Who will win the tour thread which were mainly about course design and expectation, an d the UAE and Visma publicity machines: Brandon McNulty got many more mentions in that budle of posts than did Evenepoel.

Well he's not the next Eddy Merckx.

 

[velaso montador]

Personally i do not expect them to "unlock" his full potential this TDF. But hopefully he can get close enough that he can show he can make life hard of the two GT dominators in the future if he takes a few more steps. I don't know how close he will ever get, or if he will ever get to that level, but if he isn't able to distance himself (in a positive way) from riders as Jorgenson, Hindley, Vlasov, Almeida, Rodriguez etc... that he is being wasted on this team and that they have not nearly unlocked his full potential.


Probably because he's had his share of both misfortune as well as haters who fail to see how good he really is/can be.

Thats what its all about for me too with Remco this Tour. Unlock some keys in his GT adventure which has been missing. The talent and potential is undisputed so if he could unlock some in that aspect it would lit. People bashing him is sad and wierd he is talent wice the second best talent in the sport and people are not best at GT normally at 24, actually on the contrary if you go by history so he has all the possibility to become huge and maby its that I wanne se how high he can fly with that potential.

Those might be some reason why i want him to succeed I have no idea but also I am a sucker for talent and his talent is undisputed.

 

[AmRacer]

he is talent wice the second best talent in the sport

Who is the best talent? Mathieu?

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Gosh it was only mere months ago that Remco would win every race even without turning up and now you guys are happy if he just 'releases his potential'

Reality bites

BTW I hope he wins on Saturday

 

[yaco]

Most important things are too ride within his limits and if he is having a bad day, that he battles through the stage, unlike the 2023 Vuelta. In saying that, he will have a real crack at stage one.

 

[Berniece]

Gosh it was only mere months ago that Remco would win every race even without turning up and now you guys are happy if he just 'releases his potential'

Reality bites

BTW I hope he wins on Saturday

I’ve never seen such talk for a very long while anymore. I think that died after Giro ‘21

 

[AmRacer]

I’ve never seen such talk for a very long while anymore. I think that died after Giro ‘21

Now, it's all about his weight. 🤣

 

[AnotherArmChair]

OOh Remco and Landa look like they have lost some kilos since the Dauphine

night to bed with only porridge it seems

 

[Valv.Piti]

OOh Remco and Landa look like they have lost some kilos since the Dauphine

night to bed with only porridge it seems

He looks sharp!

 

[velaso montador]

Who is the best talent? Mathieu?

I guess depends on how you view and value it i guess to some degree. Pogacar nr 1 ofcourse but Mvdp talent is indeed insane and kinda out of this world in his area but overall Remco is more talented that was my point.

Vingegaard is for me more like Mvdp. On pure talent I would put either Mvdp or Remco second depends what you value I guess. Sorry about that wasnt my intention to make it into that..

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Remco looking great! The denominator in the crucial formula much smaller, wow.

 

[Netserk]

He looks sharp!

He looks more like Groenewegen than Vingegaard.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Yes Remco looked lean but Landa looked great too

 

[Berniece]

He looks more like Groenewegen than Vingegaard.

Lol everyone keeps saying he looks lean and sharp, and what a surprise you think differently

 

[Extinction]

He looks more like Groenewegen than Vingegaard.

Where is this photo coming from?

 

[AmRacer]

Where is this photo coming from?

Eurosport

 

[ManicJack]

Where is this photo coming from?

Team presentation happening now

 

[Tim Cahill]

-2/3kg?

Maybe he's sucking his tummy and cheeks in like someone catfishing on a tinder photo.

 

[Extinction]

Team presentation happening now

That's what I thought, but I thought it was tomorrow!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

-2/3kg?

Is that two thirds or two to three?