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

[Pantani_lives]

So he says in an interview that the top 5 is his goal. In the beginning of the year he said the podium in Nice was his goal, but he already achieved that in Paris-Nice. He has to say something without setting the expectations too high.

It looks like he’s reached a good shape just in time before the Tour. If he can stay with guys like Carlos Rodriguez and Vlasov in the high mountains, he becomes a podium contender. He’s better in the time trials, so losing half a minute on a MTF isn’t a disaster.

Soudal-Q is strong enough to keep him in front in the crucial phases. Lampaert and Moscon will be a big help in the gravel stage. Landa and Van Wilder can stay with him until deep into the mountain stages. What has to be avoided is Evenepoel being isolated in the valleys.

Imagine him winning the final time trial on the Belgian National Holiday! He’ll be wearing the rainbow jersey. Or the white jersey. Or yellow for the optimists.

 

[peterfin]

Dude he's riding for GC until otherwise indicated. So he needs to follow Pogacar, Roglic and Vingegaard if he can. That is the only imperative before the TT, then you take stock and plan from there.

Read my post again. Riding for the GC means also that you try to distance the competition when there is an opportunity that suits you. Pogacar knows all about it.

 

[Extinction]

Read my post again. Riding for the GC means also that you try to distance the competition when there is an opportunity that suits you. Pogacar knows all about it.

Of course, but so early on he needs I think to get a feel for the Tour and see what Pog, Rog and Vingo do and be vigilant.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pog coming off Covid. He was sick just as Remco was

Maybe Pog not untouchable

The severity of COVID heavily depends on an initial viral load, general condition of immune system and the time period since the previous infection. In some cases it's basically not felt by an affected person (only a positive test reveals it) and doesn't leave any side effects. I suppose Pog's case was in the mildest part of the spectrum.

EDIT: I just read that he actually had symptoms so it wasn't the mildest possible infection. Soon we will know if there is any fatigue factor.

 

[Bolder]

Of course, but so early on he needs I think to get a feel for the Tour and see what Pog, Rog and Vingo do and be vigilant.

That would be the prudent strategy; however, I fear/hope that if Remco is feeling frisky even on Stage 1 he might try a longish attack.

 

[AmRacer]

That would be the prudent strategy; however, I fear/hope that if Remco is feeling frisky even on Stage 1 he might try a longish attack.

The other big 3 won't let him go.

 

[Berniece]

The other big 3 won't let him go.

That's fine, maybe they can work together

 

[AmRacer]

That's fine, maybe they can work together

The will of course be a bunch of domestiques there too.

 

[peterfin]

The severity of COVID heavily depends on an initial viral load, general condition of immune system and the time period since the previous infection. In some cases it's basically not felt by an affected person (only a positive test reveals it) and doesn't leave any side effects. I suppose Pog's case was in the mildest part of the spectrum.

EDIT: I just read that he actually had symptoms so it wasn't the mildest possible infection. Soon we will know if there is any fatigue factor.

For an athlete there is also a health risk if he trains having covid symptoms, even if the symptoms are minimal. For example, heart inflamation may occur weeks after the infection.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The will of course be a bunch of domestiques there too.

Did you watch the profile? If UAE rides that stage hard, at the moment that guys like Pog and/or Evenepoel attack, the domestiques won't matter. Oh, and neither will Mathieu, lol.

In my best dream of collaborative opportunities, he and Primoz take a flyer on technical territory and TTT as hard as they can. Primoz concedes the stage and they both gain a chunk of time.
For those that think Primoz can't/won't....watch the Tour stage where Sky (including Froome himself) and Dumoulin chased Primoz on downhill and undulating territory only to concede more time before the finish. Dumoulin complained about a moto proximity to Primoz as who kept catching and passing a media bike as a whiney excuse.
If Tadej and JV can catch that, great. Better yet...have Matteo join Remco and Primoz and put in a serious challenge.
It's like a weird daydream but it'd be fun to watch.

That was before Roglic turned into his current form, back when he was an exciting rider.

 

[AmRacer]

Did you watch the profile? If UAE rides that stage hard, at the moment that guys like Pog and/or Evenepoel attack, the domestiques won't matter. Oh, and neither will Mathieu, lol.


That was before Roglic turned into his current form, back when he was an exciting rider.

The discussion started with Remco attacking. I said that the other 3 big favorites won't let him go. So when they all are togheter, they will slow down and selected domestiques will join the group. And so will Mathieu.
Remco can of course attack again and again, but that wouldn't be a good GC strategy.

 

[Froome]

The discussion started with Remco attacking. I said that the other 3 big favorites won't let him go. So when they all are togheter, they will slow down and selected domestiques will join the group.

If one of them get's dropped, the others will work together.

 

[AmRacer]

If one of them get's dropped, the others will work together.

Maybe.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Just visually from the team presentation I thought he l looked lean and keen.

 

[Lequack]

Someone needs to photoshop a flute or something into this pic

 

[AnotherArmChair]

In any case, Remco looked full of nerves on stage. Well, it's normal, first Tour and all. He should though take a deep breath, step back and depart with serenity. It's useless to get all worked up now.

Remco and serenity ....not good bed fellas

How is Remco's record against Pog in races ?

If Vinge is in top form then he wins imo however if not then it could be a race between Remco and Pog

Rog and Kelderman I never bet on

 

[ManicJack]

Someone needs to photoshop a flute or something into this pic

Good choice of gels, although I prefer the black currant.

 

[kingjr]

The severity of COVID heavily depends on an initial viral load, general condition of immune system and the time period since the previous infection. In some cases it's basically not felt by an affected person (only a positive test reveals it) and doesn't leave any side effects. I suppose Pog's case was in the mildest part of the spectrum.

EDIT: I just read that he actually had symptoms so it wasn't the mildest possible infection. Soon we will know if there is any fatigue factor.

Aren't there studies indicating that the "younger" versions of the virus attack your T-cells, and it basically ends up working similar to HIV? If so, it may impact his career not now but in later years.

 

[Berflamand]

Remco and serenity ....not good bed fellas

How is Remco's record against Pog in races ?

If Vinge is in top form then he wins imo however if not then it could be a race between Remco and Pog

Rog and Kelderman I never bet on

They have ridden remarkably few races against each other, especially when both were in top form.

I think Remco won a (or more?) Classica San Sebastian where Pog also started and ofcourse a WCC while Pog won a Tirreno-Adriatico and a (or more?) Lombardia.

The big showdown in the Ardennes never materialized in the last few years because Pog broke his wrist in the Liège that Remco won last year and couldn't start due to family circumstances the year before that while Remco couldn't compete in the Ardennes this year because of his crash in Itzulia.

We're long overdue some great duels between them but I think that will have to happen in classics/WCC's because I don't think Remco can realistically compete with Pog this TDF (although I'd love to be proven wrong).

 

[Oldermanish]

Did you watch the profile? If UAE rides that stage hard, at the moment that guys like Pog and/or Evenepoel attack, the domestiques won't matter. Oh, and neither will Mathieu, lol.


That was before Roglic turned into his current form, back when he was an exciting rider.

Turned? Now he's a team leader with the responsibilities that come with it. It doesn't mean he can't or won't do that.
Just because he's found a consistent way to beat Remco doesn't mean there aren't other situations where they'd both benefit. It's also a hypothetical, as I said.

 

[Oldermanish]

Mathieu triggers Tadej to go on an raid together. Mathieu wins the stage and Tadej puts minutes to the other GC contenders.
Don't know which stage is suitable for that.

That'd be epic, too. Hard to imagine terrain that would have them both in the same mindset with a gap but maybe even a crosswind finish. UAE team could control a pursuing field for awhile, at least.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

They have ridden remarkably few races against each other, especially when both were in top form.

I think Remco won a (or more?) Classica San Sebastian where Pog also started and ofcourse a WCC while Pog won a Tirreno-Adriatico and a (or more?) Lombardia.

The big showdown in the Ardennes never materialized in the last few years because Pog broke his wrist in the Liège that Remco won last year and couldn't start due to family circumstances the year before that while Remco couldn't compete in the Ardennes this year because of his crash in Itzulia.

We're long overdue some great duels between them but I think that will have to happen in classics/WCC's because I don't think Remco can realistically compete with Pog this TDF (although I'd love to be proven wrong).

There was also the Euro's where neither were in good form, and the WCC/ECC ITT where Evenepoel always beat Pogacar.

 

[Unchained]

In any case, Remco looked full of nerves on stage. Well, it's normal, first Tour and all. He should though take a deep breath, step back and depart with serenity. It's useless to get all worked up now.

I didn't get that and found that the beautiful woman asking the questions and doing interpretations in English to be sort of unnerving and she wanted him to predict victory in the TT, which he wisely avoided.. I don't know if that woman knows anything about bike racing but her wardrobe changes were awesome!!

 

[Unchained]

The severity of COVID heavily depends on an initial viral load, general condition of immune system and the time period since the previous infection. In some cases it's basically not felt by an affected person (only a positive test reveals it) and doesn't leave any side effects. I suppose Pog's case was in the mildest part of the spectrum.

EDIT: I just read that he actually had symptoms so it wasn't the mildest possible infection. Soon we will know if there is any fatigue factor.

There is zero to support that, many people are asymptomatic, don't know that they are carrying virus, often untested. Others have extensive symptoms and don't have high viral load. Ultra endurance athletes like bike racers are a tiny, tiny ,even tiniest of control group, with a few thousand at a high level existing in the world, so a pro bike racers immunity profile impossible to predict, their recovery or reactions, again impossible to predict. And if you are experiencing symptoms ( sickness) the complexity of training, racing despite it, and what long term effects are , a complete unknown, medical mystery at best. No data.

 

[houtdffan]

Aren't there studies indicating that the "younger" versions of the virus attack your T-cells, and it basically ends up working similar to HIV? If so, it may impact his career not now but in later years.

if it does that, then go have fun, as you won't be alive in about 10 years, barring rapid breakthroughs