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

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Only less than half of one was raced hard.

Aubisque wasn’t raced hard in the Vuelta last year either and he got dropped like a stone there. Improvement.

 

[Red Rick]

I was wondering why he didn't react sooner, but apparently he was boxed in. For someone who has been kept in the front all day, it's not the first time this Tour he got boxed in and it cost him energy to close the gap. If he'd been on Vingegaard's wheel from the get go, he might not have lost time to him, or less.

He dropped 31 seconds, not 2 seconds in a little sprint at the end.

 

[Salvarani]

Remco is looking good for at least being on the podium and he is close in GC to Vinge.

If he doesnt crack tomorrow he should have 3rd sealed up, at minimum.

 

[memyselfandI]

He went in overconfidence when he closed to vingeegard, with a more conservative strategy maybe he would have lost 10-15 seconds less. Anyway gap on other humans is huge, at this point he can lose podium only with a really bad day

I'd say he didn't. It was good attack and reaction to the situation, it was good because he got rid from others first and then settled to his own effort, even if he had not balls today to stay with Jonas, mind you.

He still have a good chance to the 2nd in gc, if gaps stay something like this, but of course it depends.

I'm not at all sure if he could be much better if he took still some 2 kilos away because there's a tipping point that is different in every individual to a weight loss. He needs that super tt performance, I'm pretty sure he would get in trouble with that with too big weight loss. There is some to do in team power around him, little bit of downhill skills, tactical sense.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He dropped 31 seconds, not 2 seconds in a little sprint at the end.

And he had to close a significant gap, not 2 meters. It was only 2k to the line, not 20. That extra effort when the others are already going all out might well have been the difference between being able to hang on or losing that much time. I assume you saw what happened to Roglic on stage 11. When he could no longer follow Vingegaard he lost time fast. That's generally what happens.

Also, i said "or less".

I'm not at all sure if he could be much better if he took still some 2 kilos away because there's a tipping point that is different in every individual to a weight loss. He needs that super tt performance, I'm pretty sure he would get in trouble with that with too big weight loss. There is some to do in team power around him, little bit of downhill skills, tactical sense.

Yeah, that TT thing... it's not a thing. He would gain less time in the TT, who knows, might even lose some by losing extra weight. But 1kg is about a 30-60s difference every mountain stage. There is simply no scenario where the extra weight gains him more time in the TT than the losing that weight would in the mountains.

Otherwise i agree, losing 2.5kg is likely crossing the line where it no longer benefits him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

He dropped 31 seconds, not 2 seconds in a little sprint at the end.

If he survives the steep part (about 500 metres more or so), he's good. Exploding like that towards Vingegaards wheel instead of being right on it might very well have costed him those 31 seconds today.

 

[Netserk]

Aubisque wasn’t raced hard in the Vuelta last year either and he got dropped like a stone there. Improvement.

What pace do you think they did there relative to the record on the climb or how it was ridden in the 2022 Tour?

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

What pace do you think they did there relative to the record on the climb or how it was ridden in the 2022 Tour?

Probably a bit closer to the record as you ask, but I don’t see what you’re trying to imply or what you want to get out of it.

Aubisque was not raced full gas, peloton was big with a lot of not-exceptional climbers in it and Remco got dropped there. And this stage has been used by people to say Remco can’t deal with multi col stages. So by that simple logic today can be used to say that he can deal with multi col stages.

If you think I was saying stuff like today proved that Remco is a master of though, hard mountain stages where every climb is raced hard or whatever, that’s nothing close to what I said.

 

[velaso montador]

So far he is holding up his end of the bargain continue to impress still with a TT to come. Get in there Remco allez allez.

Even more importantly this will be his best GT performance to date and that looks very good for the years ahead. I loveeee it. And keep riding like you do its easy to cheer for a rider like that keep it up,

 

[ManicJack]

Even more importantly this will be his best GT performance to date and that looks very good for the years ahead. I loveeee it. And keep riding like you do its easy to cheer for a rider like that keep it up,

So far it is his best to date. Don't get ahead of yourself. Lots of racing left.

 

[houtdffan]

the climb was not the same finish as the Armstrong/Hincape victories

This one took a new approach to Pla D'Adet instead of the traditional summit

 

[houtdffan]

Now, one thing I will say about this race, this really really needed to have 2 very long ITTs

We'd have a real 3-way race on our hands if we had 2 60km ITTs. Hope this slaps Gouvenou in the face to have a balanced route next year, not a flyweight fest

 

[Netserk]

Probably a bit closer to the record as you ask, but I don’t see what you’re trying to imply or what you want to get out of it.

Aubisque was not raced full gas, peloton was big with a lot of not-exceptional climbers in it and Remco got dropped there. And this stage has been used by people to say Remco can’t deal with multi col stages. So by that simple logic today can be used to say that he can deal with multi col stages.

If you think I was saying stuff like today proved that Remco is a master of though, hard mountain stages where every climb is raced hard or whatever, that’s nothing close to what I said.

I was checking to see on what basis you made your claim.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Must say Wonderkid has surprised me immensely so far in this Tour edition.
His takes, his evident loss of weight, his focus every stage not to surpass limit, except where it makes fully sense, surely benefits him still hanging onto GC podium spot.

Until just a week ago I was sure he would crack heavily on the high mountain stages still left of Plateau de Beille, Cîme de la Bonette du Restefond and Isola 2000.

Now I'm not so sure. He sends plenty of good vibes and excess attitudes.

Looking back over his shoulder he has established quite safe margin, Rogla gone (r.i.p. ) and just focussing on himself without misses, he could even perhaps grab for further step up the ladder if the Vinge guy stretches the bow a tad too much striving for overall victory and, hence, crack the Pogi Loze way.

Remco has surely matured in stage racing. Not taking any of his Vuelta from him.

But his display during these days is IMO a giant step speaking GT

 

[Valv.Piti]

Remco: "Jonas dropped me today, maybe tomorrow it will be the other way around"

Danish July-fans: ?!)=")!")=!")=!")(=?()?%%#¤¤#(="/#("#(//&%&%"/(#!

 

[James M]

Impossible to not love those two I think they will race more vs eachother from now on and holy will that be epic and what every cycle fans surely want? Mainly cause Remco is the guy closest in power and also the way he just approach racing its impossible to not love em. This bromance from them been my biggest surprise this Tour and also the most epic besides pog performance breaking climb today I would say thats equal to this bromance. Looks good for years to come for everyone!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1812150715176898741

View: https://x.com/LeTour/status/1812150715176898741

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Remco: "Jonas dropped me today, maybe tomorrow it will be the other way around"

Danish July-fans: ?!)=")!")=!")=!")(=?()?%%#¤¤#(="/#("#(//&%&%"/(#!

It's not just the Danish July fans who's cages he seems to be rattling.
But it's interesting that on one hand he is repeatedly claiming Pogi is so far ahead to even think about beating him, but somehow he makes these claims, while so far -except for today- Pogi has not really seemed that much stronger uphill than Vingegaard.

 

[James M]

It's not just the Danish July fans who's cages he seems to be rattling.
But it's interesting that on one hand he is repeatedly claiming Pogi is so far ahead to even think about beating him, but somehow he makes these claims, while so far -except for today- Pogi has not really seemed that much stronger uphill than Vingegaard.

Riders talk amongst themself ofcourse they know.

 

[red_flanders]

If he survives the steep part (about 500 metres more or so), he's good. Exploding like that towards Vingegaards wheel instead of being right on it might very well have costed him those 31 seconds today.

Hmmmm....could be. He was on that wheel for a while. I think rather Vingo just ground him down like he did with Roglič. I mean one could say a combo of both, and that's probably not wrong, but that wasn't a very long acceleration.

 

[red_flanders]

Remco: "Jonas dropped me today, maybe tomorrow it will be the other way around"

Danish July-fans: ?!)=")!")=!")=!")(=?()?%%#¤¤#(="/#("#(//&%&%"/(#!

He really said that? I mean great, love the confidence and he's a champion so he has to believe it, but...nah.

 

[jmdirt]

Way to battle young man!

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I am expecting him to lose some time to Rodriguez tomorrow (anything from 10 seconds to a minute doesn’t seem unrealistic) and really kickstart the battle for 3rd in the last week. So far everything been looking good for Remco, but Rodriguez looks better and better and the big mountains is where he shines.

 

[red_flanders]

I am expecting him to lose some time to Rodriguez tomorrow (anything from 10 seconds to a minute doesn’t seem unrealistic) and really kickstart the battle for 3rd in the last week. So far everything been looking good for Remco, but Rodriguez looks better and better and the big mountains is where he shines.

Just thinking about what CR would have to do to make this a battle. So Remco is like 3:47 up on Rodriguez with a tough TT to come? Remco took 1:27 out of him on the last one?

Anything's possible but losing a minute to Rodriguez isn't something I'd put any money on. CR hasn't finished ahead of Remco on any meaningful stage yet.

Rodriguez cracking seems at least as likely as Remco cracking, no? Didn't he finish 13+ minutes out last year? TBH I don't recall where he lost all that time, but...

I do really feel like Remco's talents get judged by a vastly different metric than all the other non-mutants. We can all poo-poo his Vuelta win, but how many GT's has Rodriguez won? I think his notable wins are Romandie and a Tour stage, yes? I'm sure he'll win a lot more and have a very nice career. I agree it's much more his kind of course in the mountains than the previous terrain. He's been quite good in the high mountains the last couple of years, but Remco is clearly the third strongest rider in this race, isn't he?

I think he'd have to be 2 mins up on Remco in Nice to feel at all secure on the podium, no? Not seeing where he's grabbing 5.5 or 6 mins before the final TT.

 

[stekelegel]

Nobody in the field from 4th place is good enough to put that amount of time on Remco, the thing that can beat him, is having his regular day off in the high mountains. But he has been riding pretty conservatively until now preserving energy. Or maybe UAE deciding the tour is won and getting Yates or Almeida on a break, that could hurt him to. Only 3 more stages to survive.

 

[Nick2413]

Nobody in the field from 4th place is good enough to put that amount of time on Remco, the thing that can beat him, is having his regular day off in the high mountains. But he has been riding pretty conservatively until now preserving energy. Or maybe UAE deciding the tour is won and getting Yates or Almeida on a break, that could hurt him to. Only 3 more stages to survive.

Even without the off day I could see Rodriguez or others taking a minute or more per stage for each of those 3 now that the race is getting deeper in. He needs to not get ahead of himself and stick to his own race but should be good for 3rd