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

[Red Rick]

Too bad that Evenepoel didn't realise that he could have bridged across to Pogi on the same lap. Weird that he didn't make it a solo vs. solo, as he is so much better than Pogi in that.

I think we've pretty confidently established Evenepoel wasn't on his best day today.

 

[snipeheem]

Remco is much better than Pog , he proved it today.

 

[Oldermanish]

Pogacar attacking at 100km to go actually really was the best case scenario.

He certainly planned for some companions along the way. That no one could hang with him or dent his lead to any extent probably confirmed he could just ride to his favorite pulse rate. He did that with no excess strain. Reminds a few of Remco's World title, doesn't it? Except this time everyone attempted to join him and failed completely.

 

[Forever The Best]

I think we've pretty confidently established Evenepoel wasn't on his best day today.

He also probably does not have the sprint against Pogacar. But yes, he looked far weaker than I expected.

 

[Oldermanish]

Whatever the outcome today, once again it is total chaos without communication. The current generation lack any tactical awareness when there is no sporting director yelling in their ears what to do. Evenepoel has benefitted from this in worlds and Olympics, now it’s Pog. Not taking away anything from their victories, but racing once a year with different rules is weird.

It's how it used to be and the Greats of Old dealt with it just fine. Pogacar had a moto near him to give him splits, feeders on the side to provide information as did every other rider. No lack of parity; just lack of legs.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I think we've pretty confidently established Evenepoel wasn't on his best day today.

Never is when he loses

 

[houtdffan]

Remco also rode like a total IDIOT

He wasted minutes by his waiting for others to ride. Had he just rode, Pog was not staying away as shown by how the gap remained steady

Not saying he would have won

 

[Oldermanish]

He also probably does not have the sprint against Pogacar. But yes, he looked far weaker than I expected.

I haven't seen any video yet, dammit. The race report here kept it simple: MvP didn't attempt to follow, Remco waited and then they killed themselves trying to retrieve Pogacar. They finished within a minute so, yeah; I'm thinking they were at their best but used reserves foolishly against one another. Pogacar got into a rythm that suited him with little wasted effort.
Isn't that how Remco likes to win?

 

[Wvv]

Remco and everyone got their arse kicked today, from 100 km out, not even Merckx... I've never seen anything like this.

Wrong.

 

[Wvv]

Dissapointed in the belgium team. I was expecting a Team Time Trial alongside the Dutch after Pogacar went. I know it was 180 km in, but i felt like they should have been able to ride as a team for longer, bringing the gap down more.

That said, the belgian squad at least tried. Once they were gone the rest just started solo riding after Pogacar. Which is mind-boggling. Had they worked together the peloton would have had a small chance. Now they had none. If 15 riders ride as a team after Pogacar this could have ended differently. In their bullheaded thinking of not wanting to give up their own chance, they basically were giving up their own chance...

As for Evenepoel, he rode a solid race, finishing 5th but could never take up arms against Pogacar in this race. I genuinely hope today's effort will help his form. Give him a slight boost. Whilst Pogacar instead of going into a ruse from winning the WC gets a slight dip from decompression. Otherwise the upcoming italian races won't be exciting to watch. Here's hoping Evenepoel can compete (&win) in Lombardia. But the odds are def. against him after today.

Fair analysis.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Remco also rode like a total IDIOT

He wasted minutes by his waiting for others to ride. Had he just rode, Pog was not staying away as shown by how the gap remained steady

Not saying he would have won

I was thinking that as well, but with the level he showed here, guys like Hirschi, Healy or Skujins would have just said thank you and left him behind uphill. Granted, he may come back a few times on the flat, but by the time they would‘ve gotten to Pogi, he would have had just as much wind in his face as Pogi and would probably not win either.

 

[Netserk]

I think we've pretty confidently established Evenepoel wasn't on his best day today.

I don't think that is clear at all. Jorgenson couldn't hold the wheel on his first attack, only Van der Poel could close him down. Then he used a lot of energy (but of course much less than Pogi did in front) in a dumb way afterwards.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He definitely might. There’s no reason to think Pogacar is better than Evenepoel in such long races

Sorry but what a joke

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I‘d say what happened today is called being Wollongong‘d but that‘s actually being arrested on assault charges the night before the race.

 

[houtdffan]

Remco also should been firmly planted on Pog's ass instead of being caught out back like he was

One of the dumbest races I have seen. This was Ullrich levels of stupid today

 

[mlescanojr]

Remco also should been firmly planted on Pog's ass instead of being caught out back like he was

One of the dumbest races I have seen. This was Ullrich levels of stupid today

Remco is a spoiled young man who thinks other guys have to work for him.

It was beautiful to see he losing his temper, screaming at Jorgenson.

 

[James M]

Remco also should been firmly planted on Pog's ass instead of being caught out back like he was

One of the dumbest races I have seen. This was Ullrich levels of stupid today

Lets not pretend Evenepoel would be able to follow Pog more than a very few min without blowing up. Evenepoel is great and just as great as he was yesterday loosing to this Pogacar is no shame, everyone else in the history would do the same. Evenepoel is guuci.

A fantastic rider even in historical terms and more to come next season bet on that.

 

[Extinction]

Lets not pretend Evenepoel would be able to follow Pog more than a very few min without blowing up. Evenepoel is great and just as great as he was yesterday loosing to this Pogacar is no shame, everyone else in the history would do the same. Evenepoel is guuci.

A fantastic rider even in historical terms and more to come next season bet on that.

It's not a given. Remco clearly was not on a great day. But what Pogacar did was extraordinary.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This will be remembered as the WCC for the mentally challenged. If not by others, at least by me. Pogacar's move was dumb, and the only reason he made it, was because the others were even dumber. My god. Evenepoel rode like a word that is unfortunately censored on this forum. I have no idea what Kelderman and Mollema were doing, seemed like Van der Poel was working for them more than the other way around. Great move by the Belgian national coach not to include teammates of Evenepoel who piloted him in both his Liège wins, but instead... * drumroll * ... bring teammates of Pogacar instead and guys who could do nothing on this course in the last 150km. Brilliant move. Whatever Vollering had, seems to be infectious. Good thing was that Evenepoel was simply not having a good day, so he was not going to win even if he didn't ride like a complete idiot.

 

[Extinction]

The problem was that nobody was ready or able to go with him from 100 km out. The rest is history and it will remain in their heads for a very long time. Tadej inflicted another psychological blow. Who can challenge him now?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The problem was that nobody was ready or able to go with him from 100 km out. The rest is history and it will remain in their heads for a very long time. Tadej inflicted another psychological blow. Who can challenge him now?

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that all the others thought it was a problem, while in reality Pogacar handed them the perfect scenario to wreck him. They chased like a bunch of ****** and still Ben fcking O'Connor finished only 35s behind Pogacar. That tells you that with a somewhat competent chase, you could easily have caught him. His lead never was more than 62 seconds. It was the perfect scenario to keep him dangling 45s in front and reel him in 30km from the finish. The only redeeming factor is that Pog was actually the strongest rider, so the strongest won.

 

[ArnaudVDL]

I wanted Tadej to win, but this really like a failure from g2 and the Belgium team

First of, why the hell do Remco and mvdp and their teams just let him go. Why were they so badly positioned when you probably could see that Pogacar was gonna attack because Novak was pacing and Pogacar was in front of the group. Then, because of the chase took long to form, Pogacar gained 30 second or more for free. Then the Belgians start pacing and because they have to do it alone because it looks like nobody wanted, they burn through their riders. G2 syndrome then set in, and they just start to look at each other and attack each other. G2 did *** all for like 90 percent of the time.

G2 syndrome has been apparent this season. Also this race could probably have been different if radio's were allowed.

 

[mlescanojr]

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that all the others thought it was a problem, while in reality Pogacar handed them the perfect scenario to wreck him. They chased like a bunch of ****** and still Ben fcking O'Connor finished only 35s behind Pogacar. That tells you that with a somewhat competent chase, you could easily have caught him. His lead never was more than 62 seconds. It was the perfect scenario to keep him dangling 45s in front and reel him in 30km from the finish. The only redeeming factor is that Pog was actually the strongest rider, so the strongest won.

No, they could not.

VdP told in the interview they were on the limit, that's why they could not bring Pogacar back.

And let's not fool ourselves, Pogacar relaxed in the last km, that's why the 35s difference.

But you can try to diminish Pogacar feat.

He controlled the difference for almost 80 km, when he attacked after Tratnik pull.

 

[Extinction]

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that all the others thought it was a problem, while in reality Pogacar handed them the perfect scenario to wreck him. They chased like a bunch of ****** and still Ben fcking O'Connor finished only 35s behind Pogacar. That tells you that with a somewhat competent chase, you could easily have caught him. His lead never was more than 62 seconds. It was the perfect scenario to keep him dangling 45s in front and reel him in 30km from the finish. The only redeeming factor is that Pog was actually the strongest rider, so the strongest won.

Look, they didn't reel him back in because they couldn't. Belgium had been pacing the whole day and so didn't have the fire power to get back on terms. Holland was a lame duck. Everybody else was rightly expecting those two teams to do the work. Remco and Mattieu miscalculated spectacularly. Maybe they didn't have the legs to go with Pogacar from 100 km out. They certainly couldn't counter-attack and were even afraid to try until it was too late. No, the Slovenian inflicted a devestating psychological blow and it's a problem for them in the future. As Michael Woods put it simply: "When Tadej went, everyone was unable to follow. He's the best rider in the world".

 

[Oldermanish]

Remco is a spoiled young man who thinks other guys have to work for him.

It was beautiful to see he losing his temper, screaming at Jorgenson.

Jorgenson is the real deal and Remco is lucky he didn't dump him at Paris Nice and leave him for backwash. He definitely gives what he has and Remco didn't have the benefit of seeing how deep Mateo went trying to stay on Tadej's wheel at that big moment. He couldn't see it because he was buried back in the pack.