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

[peterfin]

Sure, to prevent losing more time. But I want to see him be better than Vingegaard and Pogacar. I don’t believe Ineos can get him there, since nothing changes besides teammates and money

Money to build a better team and support for him can change a lot.

 

[AmRacer]

Sure, to prevent losing more time. But I want to see him be better than Vingegaard and Pogacar. I don’t believe Ineos can get him there, since nothing changes besides teammates and money

Nobody can

 

[red_flanders]

If he does do the vuelta he should ride it as training. i do not think he should make the vuelta his late summer/fall goal. He should target UECC and Lombardi imo.

He's not really a rider who by his own nature, or from a team/fans/PR perspective, can really ride a GT without ambitions if he's healthy and on any kind of form.

 

[houtdffan]

He's not really a rider who by his own nature, or from a team/fans/PR perspective, can really ride a GT without ambitions if he's healthy and on any kind of form.

he could ride it like he decided to do halfway through 2023

go after as many stage wins as possible, as well as KOM and maybe points

 

[red_flanders]

he could ride it like he decided to do halfway through 2023

go after as many stage wins as possible, as well as KOM and maybe points

Sure, he could. I'm just saying there's a LOT of pressure on him to ride for wins, especially if he's in form and healthy. I think it's really hard for him to hold back as well.

 

[houtdffan]

Sure, he could. I'm just saying there's a LOT of pressure on him to ride for wins, especially if he's in form and healthy. I think it's really hard for him to hold back as well.

it really wouldn't be him holding back though. He'd still get his 3-6 stage wins and one or more jerseys at the end of the race.

Not bad, especially if he improves upon his 3rd at the TDF from last year

 

[red_flanders]

it really wouldn't be him holding back though. He'd still get his 3-6 stage wins and one or more jerseys at the end of the race.

Not bad, especially if he improves upon his 3rd at the TDF from last year

I guess by "hold back" I meant "not ride for the overall". I understand your point that racing that way isn't holding back, those are also big efforts.

 

[Berniece]

Money to build a better team and support for him can change a lot.

But if he leaves, he's bringing along his yes-man staff members. It was always said that Klaas Lodewyck and Koen Pelgrim would join too wherever he went. So a director who isn't necessarily tactically gifted, and is mostly liked because they have similar characters. And the performance manager who isn't able to get the best out of Evenepoel all season long.

 

[Andre]

But if he leaves, he's bringing along his yes-man staff members. It was always said that Klaas Lodewyck and Koen Pelgrim would join too wherever he went. So a director who isn't necessarily tactically gifted, and is mostly liked because they have similar characters. And the performance manager who isn't able to get the best out of Evenepoel all season long.

If he does go to Ineos wouldn't they also give him another staff member to join with Lodewick and Pelgrim?

 

[Berniece]

If he does go to Ineos wouldn't they also give him another staff member to join with Lodewick and Pelgrim?

Sure, but if those two are the once Evenepoel wants at GT's and who decide on his performance, what changes? Evenepoel doesn't think there's something wrong at the moment.

 

[veganrob]

he could ride it like he decided to do halfway through 2023

go after as many stage wins as possible, as well as KOM and maybe points

He was already out of GC contention at that point.

 

[Andre]

Sure, but if those two are the once Evenepoel wants at GT's and who decide on his performance, what changes? Evenepoel doesn't think there's something wrong at the moment.

I see what you mean...Remco is being too loyal perhaps

 

[AmRacer]

I see what you mean...Remco is being too loyal perhaps

Maybe not loyal, but he may feel comfortable with the current team and staff.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I think Evenepoel can benefit from a more solid team around him. But i'm not sure his performance coach is bad. You can see Remco evolution throughout the years. And whilst he still has areas he needs to improve on ,there are plenty of areas they worked hard on, and we see the results of. Now maybe a change of scenery and different coaching is needed for that final step. maybe not. But the grass ain't always greener.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think Evenepoel can benefit from a more solid team around him. But i'm not sure his performance coach is bad. You can see Remco evolution throughout the years. And whilst he still has areas he needs to improve on ,there are plenty of areas they worked hard on, and we see the results of. Now maybe a change of scenery and different coaching is needed for that final step. maybe not. But the grass ain't always greener.

His performance coach has gone along for 5 years with the ridiculous notion that it was ok for Evenepoel to weigh 63 and up in the mountains because that way he could push more watts.

 

[Netserk]

His performance coach has gone along for 5 years with the ridiculous notion that it was ok for Evenepoel to wish weigh 63 and up in the mountains because that way he could push more watts.

Is it also ridiculous that Vingegaard aims to weigh more in the Tour this year than he did last year?

 

[Gratemans]

Maybe not loyal, but he may feel comfortable with the current team and staff.

And I think that's the gist of it. He needs to get out of his comfort zone and be a professional.
Top athletes surround themselves with the best staff. Not the staff they like most or know best.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Is it also ridiculous that Vingegaard aims to weigh more in the Tour this year than he did last year?

You want to compare a walking skeleton to a walking cupcake?

 

[Extinction]

You want to compare a walking skeleton to a walking cupcake?

Oh, that's a good one. Chapeau.

 

[KoopaCycling]

His performance coach has gone along for 5 years with the ridiculous notion that it was ok for Evenepoel to weigh 63 and up in the mountains because that way he could push more watts.

His bike handling and accel have improved noticeable. I'd say he also became a better overall rider since he started out. As for the mountains, i'll give you that. But i also think it's harder for evenepoel to stay at a certain weight than it is for other riders.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

You want to compare a walking skeleton to a walking cupcake?

10/10

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

His bike handling and accel have improved noticeable. I'd say he also became a better overall rider since he started out. As for the mountains, i'll give you that. But i also think it's harder for evenepoel to stay at a certain weight than it is for other riders.

Not sure how a performance coach is involved with his bikehandling. Acceleration was non existent, but yes, he is quite punchy (actually since 2022). He became a better rider overall, well he was 18 when he signed his contract. Anything else would be rather damning. And i'm not necessarily speaking about staying a certain weight all season, rather specific targets. But going to the Giro in 2023 weighing over 63kg as an actual target weight, completely boggles my mind. Especially since half a year prior he showed his best climbing performance on Pico Jano weighing below 62.
I'm not saying or asking he should weigh less than Vingegaard (even though he is smaller than Vingegaard), but when you weigh 5kg more than a guy winning the biggest race while 4cm taller, at some point surely you have to start wondering whether that is all down to a different build and wider hips.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Not sure how a performance coach is involved with his bikehandling. Acceleration was non existent, but yes, he is quite punchy (actually since 2022). He became a better rider overall, well he was 18 when he signed his contract. Anything else would be rather damning. And i'm not necessarily speaking about staying a certain weight all season, rather specific targets. But going to the Giro in 2023 weighing over 63kg as an actual target weight, completely boggles my mind. Especially since half a year prior he showed his best climbing performance on Pico Jano weighing below 62.
I'm not saying or asking he should weigh less than Vingegaard (even though he is smaller than Vingegaard), but when you weigh 5kg more than a guy winning the biggest race while 4cm taller, at some point surely you have to start wondering whether that is all down to a different build and wider hips.

During last year's TdF (and Olympics) Remco's head was larger than the rest of the body. They trimmed him down well. Not a cupcake anymore.

 

[Oldman]

Sure, to prevent losing more time. But I want to see him be better than Vingegaard and Pogacar. I don’t believe Ineos can get him there, since nothing changes besides teammates and money

Agree, wholeheartedly. That's why going to RedBull has more depth and, honestly; more need for a marquee' player. He still has the obligation to be realistic about his career arc as does his management team. Better to get paid, get help than to demand those things from a team that can deliver neither.

 

[Oldman]

Not sure how a performance coach is involved with his bikehandling. Acceleration was non existent, but yes, he is quite punchy (actually since 2022). He became a better rider overall, well he was 18 when he signed his contract. Anything else would be rather damning. And i'm not necessarily speaking about staying a certain weight all season, rather specific targets. But going to the Giro in 2023 weighing over 63kg as an actual target weight, completely boggles my mind. Especially since half a year prior he showed his best climbing performance on Pico Jano weighing below 62.
I'm not saying or asking he should weigh less than Vingegaard (even though he is smaller than Vingegaard), but when you weigh 5kg more than a guy winning the biggest race while 4cm taller, at some point surely you have to start wondering whether that is all down to a different build and wider hips.

His build is what it is.
Vindegaard, IMO is flirting with injury at his weight on his frame. He's already on the edge of recovery for almost any crash as it is and the Visma urgency to win isn't going to alleviate that pressure. Remco should move past a specific rider as a target (if that's his emphasis) and get back on track to maximize his natural abilities. Those may be efforts like the 2 Olympic Golds and very few GT overall wins. He definitely needs to ride them to be competitive and marketable but the pressure to be more isn't working.