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

[Oldman]

No, he will probably only start training then

And he'll start from scratch. He'll be in a restrained position from hips to neck it sounds like. If that's the case; he may not race this year. Or should not.

 

[KoopaCycling]

It's a pity, cause Landa I think was important for Remco last year. Maybe not so much during the actual race, but outside of it. Not too mention I was rooting for Landa for this Giro. I'm not the biggest Ayuso fan. And Roglic needs some competition.

 

[Oldman]

It's a pity, cause Landa I think was important for Remco last year. Maybe not so much during the actual race, but outside of it. Not too mention I was rooting for Landa for this Giro. I'm not the biggest Ayuso fan. And Roglic needs some competition.

I made some disparaging characterizations of the old Landa. He's completely changed my mind and, to your point; seemed ready to do bigger things. Bummer.

 

[Andre]

It will be interesting to see who takes Landa's place in the Tour

 

[Andre]

...or what squad of riders will be the best to help Remco win The Tour...
Van Wilder for sure, Cattaneo?, Knox, Lecerf, Lamperti?, Paret Peintre, Merlier for sprints, Vansevenant?, Shachmann, Vervaeke?...Just thinking out loud

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

...or what squad of riders will be the best to help Remco win The Tour...
Van Wilder for sure, Cattaneo?, Knox, Lecerf, Lamperti?, Paret Peintre, Merlier for sprints, Vansevenant?, Shachmann, Vervaeke?...Just thinking out loud

Very hard to imagine him ever winning the Tour at SQS. He needs a completely different entourage (staff, trainers, DS) and support for that to happen.

 

[Oldman]

Very hard to imagine him ever winning the Tour at SQS. He needs a completely different entourage (staff, trainers, DS) and support for that to happen.

He should ride it to test himself under the current team support. He's lost another year of form to injury and needs to show himself what it takes to win a tough stage or hang with Pogacar. If he can pull that off he has options for another team or at least gain the confidence in sponsors to provide more support. Seems like he's a bit in limbo at the moment.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I think he'll leave at the end of his contract, unless he feels good with the entourage (team leaders, trainers, ...)

Cerny - cattaneo - knox - lampaert- lecerf - merlier - paretpeintre - schachmann - van lerberghe - van wilder - vervaeke -vansevenant are the possible candidates imo after a quick glance at the roster. With merlier and possible van lerberghe already pencilled in.

 

[Cycling111]

Very hard to imagine him ever winning the Tour at SQS. He needs a completely different entourage (staff, trainers, DS) and support for that to happen.

Pogacar won the TDF2020 without team.

Having a weak team is a problem, but first he has to prove that he can follow the wheel of Pogacar and Vingegarad in the mountain.

 

[kingjr]

Pogacar won the TDF2020 without team.

Having a weak team is a problem, but first he has to prove that he can follow the wheel of Pogacar and Vingegarad in the mountain.

He's talking about staff, trainers, and DS, not about teammates.

 

[Netserk]

And 2020 was just after a GC transition which made it much more open. Bernal had a bad back, Quintana's knees were ***, Thomas was in bad shape after the lockdowns, Froome a zombie. And the big favourite for the Tour was injured before the race and had to abandon Dauphiné. EDIT: Dumo I even forgot about. He has also been forgettable since his 2019 crash.

Now is more comparable to 2015 with a saturated GC pecking order. 2020 was similar to 2007.

 

[Berflamand]

I think he'll leave at the end of his contract, unless he feels good with the entourage (team leaders, trainers, ...)

Cerny - cattaneo - knox - lampaert- lecerf - merlier - paretpeintre - schachmann - van lerberghe - van wilder - vervaeke -vansevenant are the possible candidates imo after a quick glance at the roster. With merlier and possible van lerberghe already pencilled in.

I think (barring accidents or bad form) these names are already locked in:

Evenepoel
Merlier
Van Lerberghe
Van Wilder
Schachmann

Now that Paret-Peintre couldn't make it to the Giro and Landa won't make the Tour I would (and I think they will) take Paret-Peintre to the Tour.

Then I would also select Cattaneo.

Last name to choose from Lampaert/Vervaeke/Vansevenant or maybe Lecerf.

 

[Berniece]

Last name to choose from Lampaert/Vervaeke/Vansevenant or maybe Lecerf.

They would probably take Vervaeke then

 

[Berflamand]

They would probably take Vervaeke then

Yeah most likely, he's important to Remco off the bike as well.

 

[Berniece]

I think he'll leave at the end of his contract, unless he feels good with the entourage (team leaders, trainers, ...)

He’s definitely leaving but I can also see it happening at the end of this season. If they get enough money for it, problem is he really wants to go to Bora, and that isn’t happening with Roglic there.

 

[CyclistAbi]

It will be interesting to see who takes Landa's place in the Tour

Remco?

 

[CyclistAbi]

He’s definitely leaving but I can also see it happening at the end of this season. If they get enough money for it, problem is he really wants to go to Bora, and that isn’t happening with Roglic there.

I don't feel Roglič is an obstacle for such scenario.

 

[Berflamand]

He’s definitely leaving but I can also see it happening at the end of this season. If they get enough money for it, problem is he really wants to go to Bora, and that isn’t happening with Roglic there.

Why do you think so or where have you read that?

 

[Red Rick]

Doubt Roglic can prevent a move to Bora, though I also kinda doubt either would be too happy to be teammates.

That's not to say I think they have a problem with each other, they're just both guys that wanna be solo leader, and especially Roglic doesn't wanna get caught in a leadership battle ever again, even if there are scenario's where he might be the beneficiary of it.

 

[Berniece]

I don't feel Roglič is an obstacle for such scenario.

I don't think Roglic wants to get in another Vuelta 2023 scenario

 

[Berniece]

Why do you think so or where have you read that?

Because they have been in talks for 3-4 years now already. They just got Redbull and their ambition is to become the best team in the world. They are putting so much money into staff and specialists for those marginal gains which makes sense for Evenepoel who just wants the best. Not to mention they ride on Specialized for which Evenepoel is one of the faces.

 

[AmRacer]

I don't think Roglic wants to get in another Vuelta 2023 scenario

They don't have to race same GT, and Rogla is old now. So it won't be a problem, maybe something short-term.

 

[Andre]

at this point in time I just want Remco to go to the team that will help him improve. It's like Logic is your Friend said: he needs a team where the staff, and the handlers, and the management is going to be a significant upgrade over what Soudal is doing. UAE would be the exception for reasons that can't be mentioned here.

 

[Red Rick]

If we use Landa as a proxy I'm very unconvinced Evenepoel would make a major jump in performance at another team.

The improvement I can see for him is consistency and raising his floor level, not his ceiling.

 

[Berflamand]

If we use Landa as a proxy I'm very unconvinced Evenepoel would make a major jump in performance at another team.

The improvement I can see for him is consistency and raising his floor level, not his ceiling.

He already showed that with his ceiling he can win the biggest (hilly) classics (including Worlds, Olympics) and basically any GT without Pogacar or Vingegaard.

So raising his consistency and floor level would definitely help him improve his palmares because I guess that should mean he (finally) starts winning the big 7 stage races and other (semi-)classics.

I don't know if he'll ever be able to beat Pogacar and Vingegaard in the Tour on this team or any other but as a fan I remain hopeful that with a couple of injury-free seasons (fingers crossed) he can improve enough to eventually compete with them.

Personally I would hate to see him leave QuickStep as I have been a fan of the team all my (cycling-related) life but I do understand the criticism and would understand the decision to leave.