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

[shadowrider]

Remco doesn't want to ride EEC. Case closed.

He will ride the EEC TT.

 

[Berniece]

A broken scapula and clavicle 2,5 months before the Tour never helps to perform at the highest level in that Tour. But..... turn it around. It happens way too often that riders unhindered by illness, injuries, (long) inactivity, having a perfect preparation (or think they have), having a (almost) perfect weight, overdo. Being in shape too early, having drawn too much in the reserves for the Tour...... start strong the first days of the Tour and fade later..... or not even perform the first stages of the Tour. As we could see about several riders being in (top)shape during the Dauphiné. Already during the first (hilly) stage of the Tour, some good (subtop)riders lost time (while not climbers and even alround sprinters were still at the front). On the San Luca, the likes of Roglic, Vlasov, Rodriguez, Jorgenson etc were already dropped. While the "bad" prepared, crashdiet Evenepoel lost only seconds and even came back at the end.
So, without that nasty crash, Evenepoel would have been better prepared. But I'm not sure that would have resulted in a better endresult, or even the same result. It would have in the case of Vingegaard. While Vingegaard really couldn't start his specific training in time. Unlike Evenepoel who gets into (top) shape just in time.

That’s just guess work though, it could also be in a better result since everything went as planned and he wouldn’t burn out

 

[shadowrider]

That’s just guess work though, it could also be in a better result since everything went as planned and he wouldn’t burn out

We'll never know in the case of Evenepoel. But we do know several topriders underperformed (much or little) being "ideal" prepared and some already performing in the Dauphiné. Which I predicted during and after the Dauphiné. Which led to some people reacting mockingly. Unfortunately, these members have never admitted their wrong since then.

 

[Berniece]

We'll never know in the case of Evenepoel. But we do know several topriders underperformed (much or little) being "ideal" prepared and some already performing in the Dauphiné. Which I predicted during and after the Dauphiné.

That’s always the case. But when you prepare like Evenepoel and Vingegaard this is much more a perfect science. They know how to peak

 

[Red Rick]

you cant win a GT in 30km TTs. You can if the organizers do the right thing and include 2 60km ITTs like the good old days

Vuelta 2022

 

[shadowrider]

That’s always the case. But when you prepare like Evenepoel and Vingegaard this is much more a perfect science. They know how to peak

Vingegaard and his staff already proved they could peak from start to finish in the Tour. In the case of Evenepoel, we are not 100 % sure. Evenepoel performed well and regularly during the Vuelta 22. He started strong the first day(s) of the Giro 23, but we have no idea how it would have ended. But considering that old Thomas only lost the pink jersey at the very end, I think Evenepoel would have won easily... Evenepoel wasn't bad during the Vuelta 23, but not perfectly prepared. So, I guess we'll have to wait till the Giro or the Tour next year. Hoping Evenepoel will be prepared perfectly and hoping he will not crash during one of those GT's.

 

[Berniece]

Vingegaard and his staff already proved they could peak from start to finish in the Tour. In the case of Evenepoel, we are not 100 % sure. Evenepoel performed well and regularly during the Vuelta 22. He started strong the first day(s) of the Giro 23, but we have no idea how it would have ended. But considering that old Thomas only lost the pink jersey at the very end, I think Evenepoel would have won easily... Evenepoel wasn't bad during the Vuelta 23, but not perfectly prepared. So, I guess we'll have to wait till the Giro or the Tour next year. Hoping Evenepoel will be prepared perfectly and hoping he will not crash during one of those GT's.

Sure, but I expect SOQ staff to know what they are doing. Wasn’t that also your mantra before the Tour?

 

[Karl Merckx]

He will ride the EEC TT.

yeah that's been known for weeks.

 

[Karl Merckx]

Vuelta 2022

thinking Mas would have won without TT's is laughable. REv wasn't even paying attention to him on sierra nevada.

 

[Red Rick]

thinking Mas would have won without TT's is laughable. REv wasn't even paying attention to him on sierra nevada.

Mas had a net time gain in the mountains. And the only time Evenepoel dropped him was on a 4km climb.

 

[shadowrider]

Sure, but I expect SOQ staff to know what they are doing. Wasn’t that also your mantra before the Tour?

Absolutely. Evenepoel is well supervised. He has a good nutritionist and a good trainer. Although we could read other things about that after the Dauphiné. But that does not guarantee that Evenepoel's body will respond perfectly to this, as is certainly the case with Vingegaard. What we do know is that Evenepoel, when good prepared, can last his form for a long time. F.i in 2022 from (or before) the Clasica San Sebastian over the Vuelta till the worlds in Australia. This year from (or even before the Tour) till the olympics. That's always a good sign.

 

[Berniece]

Mas had a net time gain in the mountains. And the only time Evenepoel dropped him was on a 4km climb.

Because Evenepoel crashed and wasn’t able to give his best performance during 2 stages

 

[peterfin]

Because Evenepoel crashed and wasn’t able to give his best performance during 2 stages

And because he had the gap and didn't need to do better in the mountains. He could play defense. His strategy would be different without TT's.

 

[Red Rick]

Even in races he wins, moments of weakness were just imaginary and still need to be spun

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Even in races he wins, moments of weakness were just imaginary and still need to be spun

Dude, he had to be carried off the bike at the finish a few days after the crash because he couldn't lift his leg high enough.

 

[ColonelKidneyBeans]

Even in races he wins, moments of weakness were just imaginary and still need to be spun

"In every races he does, moments of weakness needs to be pointed out and rehashed to death" seems more like it

 

[Berflamand]

So his second part of the season will be:

Renewi Tour or Tour of Britain
ECC ITT
Worlds
Lombardia

Anything else? I guess doing the ECC ITT excludes the Canadian classics. Maybe some more Italian classics between Worlds and Lombardia but that's about it I suppose?

 

[KoopaCycling]

If Evenepoel truly wants to focus 100 percent on GC. he is probably right putting his main focus on the big mountains. Even if Evenepoel loses a bit on TT, he'd probably still be better on a flat TT than most GC riders. Only Pogacar might possible beat Evenepoel on a flat TT from the GC riders should Evenepoel lose some margin.

 

[red_flanders]

A broken scapula and clavicle 2,5 months before the Tour never helps to perform at the highest level in that Tour. But..... turn it around. It happens way too often that riders unhindered by illness, injuries, (long) inactivity, having a perfect preparation (or think they have), having a (almost) perfect weight, overdo. Being in shape too early, having drawn too much in the reserves for the Tour...... start strong the first days of the Tour and fade later..... or not even perform the first stages of the Tour. As we could see about several riders being in (top)shape during the Dauphiné. Already during the first (hilly) stage of the Tour, some good (subtop)riders lost time (while not climbers and even alround sprinters were still at the front). On the San Luca, the likes of Roglic, Vlasov, Rodriguez, Jorgenson etc were already dropped. While the "bad" prepared, crashdiet Evenepoel lost only seconds and even came back at the end.
So, without that nasty crash, Evenepoel would have been better prepared. But I'm not sure that would have resulted in a better endresult, or even the same result. It would have in the case of Vingegaard. While Vingegaard really couldn't start his specific training in time. Unlike Evenepoel who gets into (top) shape just in time.

Next year I’m going to throw grease on the tarmac at an early season race so he won’t overtrain.

 

[Netserk]

thinking Mas would have won without TT's is laughable. REv wasn't even paying attention to him on sierra nevada.

Thinking Evenepoel would have won without TTs is laughable. He'd have a buffer of 43" after the first week and he lost 42" alone on Sierra Nevada.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Thinking Evenepoel would have won without TTs is laughable. He'd have a buffer of 43" after the first week and he lost 42" alone on Sierra Nevada.

Mas and MAL weren’t a threat, yes due to the TT and TTT, but Roglic was the only threat despite the time gap Evenepoel had on Roglic before the Sierra Nevada stage. Evenepoel and Roglic were only concerned about the other, if Mas and MAL were actually closer and a threat they wouldn’t have been given free rein.

 

[Karl Merckx]

Guys (Red Rick & Netserk) sometimes it's better to look at races rather than look at results on pcs...

Mas was not stronger than Evenepoel on Sierra Nevada. You could argue that Mas' performance was indeed not as good as Evenepoel's

Evenepoel let Mas go with superman because he was like almost 3 mins behind. Evenepoel was only focused on Roglic (which wasn't the best tactic at the time i think but anyway), and of course Mas wasn't a threat anymore because of TT's, but that was the situation at the time otherwise Evenepoel wouldn't have let him go.

 

[Red Rick]

Guys sometimes it's better to look at races rather than look at results on pcs...

Mas was not stronger than Evenepoel on Sierra Nevada. You could argue that Mas' performance was indeed not as good as Evenepoel's

Evenepoel let Mas go with superman because he was like almost 3 mins behind. Evenepoel was only focused on Roglic (which wasn't the best tactic at the time i think but anyway), and of course Mas wasn't a threat anymore because of TT's, but that was the situation at the time otherwise Evenepoel wouldn't have let him go.

Oi look it's LR data estimates on Evenepoel where he predictably gets given the CdA of an aircraft carrier

 

[Netserk]

Guys (Red Rick & Netserk) sometimes it's better to look at races rather than look at results on pcs...

Mas was not stronger than Evenepoel on Sierra Nevada. You could argue that Mas' performance was indeed not as good as Evenepoel's

Evenepoel let Mas go with superman because he was like almost 3 mins behind. Evenepoel was only focused on Roglic (which wasn't the best tactic at the time i think but anyway), and of course Mas wasn't a threat anymore because of TT's, but that was the situation at the time otherwise Evenepoel wouldn't have let him go.

I watched that race just as I watched Lo Port, and Evenepoel wasn't the better climber just because he pulled more.

 

[Netserk]

Was Vingegaard stronger than Pogi on Couillole? He did bigger numbers!