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

[peterfin]

It was a fan who got on fire.

If the first answer to that question is "Top 10 or DNF" you can expect a reaction. It's not my point. It's just that there are far more here that try to minimize Remco's effort whenever they see a chance. Relevant discussions for those who care at least a bit about the athlete are difficult with all this noise. But that's just my opinion. I know that this forum is also just a bit of fun for many here.

 

[AmRacer]

If the first answer to that question is "Top 10 or DNF" you can expect a reaction. It's not my point. It's just that there are far more here that try to minimize Remco's effort whenever they see a chance. Relevant discussions for those who care at least a bit about the athlete are difficult with all this noise. But that's just my opinion. I know that this forum is also just a bit of fun for many here.

I don't care if I got a reaction or not. Remco fans creating noise with whatifsbutwhatabout. That's not a good recipe for relevant discussions. But as you say, it's a forum so what.

 

[Andre]

It was a fan who got on fire.

when one starts a fire the fire has a tendency to spread and may envelop and consume those around it

 

[AmRacer]

when one starts a fire the fire has a tendency to spread and may envelop and consume those around it

Yeps, it's best not be on fire.

 

[Andre]

Yeps, it's best not be on fire.

better yet not to be an arsonist

 

[AmRacer]

better yet not to be an arsonist

When you are on fire, don't ignite your surroundings.

 

[Andre]

When you are on fire, don't ignite your surroundings.

when you are on fire there are no surroundings....only escape

 

[Berniece]

Evenepoel is leaving Thursday morning in Belgium and flying for 8.5 hours to Rwanda. He’ll have 2 days to prepare and get used to the altitude difference.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/sport/wielrennen/eerste-belgische-delegatie-met-remco-evenepoel-reist-donderdag-naar-rwanda-voor-wereldkampioenschappen-wielrennen/90544874.html

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Evenepoel is leaving Thursday morning in Belgium and flying for 8.5 hours to Rwanda. He’ll have 2 days to prepare and get used to the altitude difference.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/sport/wielrennen/eerste-belgische-delegatie-met-remco-evenepoel-reist-donderdag-naar-rwanda-voor-wereldkampioenschappen-wielrennen/90544874.html

So again not a lot of time for recon. I wonder if he remembers how Foss beat him.

 

[Berniece]

So again not a lot of time for recon. I wonder if he remembers how Foss beat him.

It's not as technical this time. If he actually goes and does multiple recons on Friday, Saturday and Sunday that should be enough.

WC ITT 2022

WC ITT 2025

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's not as technical this time. If he actually goes and does multiple recons on Friday, Saturday and Sunday that should be enough.

I know it's not as technical, but on a 40+km route, there are still easily 20-30 seconds up for grabs, if not (just) from cornering, then maybe which side of the road runs smoother, adjusting pacing before a seemingly insignificant gradient etc. I swear, if he loses time on the downhills again...

 

[Berflamand]

I know it's not as technical, but on a 40+km route, there are still easily 20-30 seconds up for grabs, if not (just) from cornering, then maybe which side of the road runs smoother, adjusting pacing before a seemingly insignificant gradient etc. I swear, if he loses time on the downhills again...

I doubt there are many riders who will be there earlier than thursday.

I think it's mostly a decision by the national cycling federations based on accommodation options and hotel prices to travel as late as possible.

I guess Remco himself could have organised/paid for an earlier trip but that may have been a lot of hassle and money for limited gains.

 

[Berniece]

I know it's not as technical, but on a 40+km route, there are still easily 20-30 seconds up for grabs, if not (just) from cornering, then maybe which side of the road runs smoother, adjusting pacing before a seemingly insignificant gradient etc. I swear, if he loses time on the downhills again...

I think there's enough time to do a recon of the race multiple times. I don't expect him to lose 20-30s in 3 U-turns

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think there's enough time to do a recon of the race multiple times. I don't expect him to lose 20-30s in 3 U-turns

No, not in 3 U- turns.

I doubt there are many riders who will be there earlier than thursday.

That's what Foss thought in 2022. If Pogacar is on his game, it doesn't matter whether he is there longer or not. It's still a potential 10-20-30 seconds that Evenepoel might be able to ride faster, which he might very well need if he wants to win. I also doubt someone who earns 4M a year can't afford a hotel for 5 nights.

 

[Berniece]

That's what Foss thought in 2022. If Pogacar is on his game, it doesn't matter whether he is there longer or not. It's still a potential 10-20-30 seconds that Evenepoel might be able to ride faster, which he might very well need if he wants to win. I also doubt someone who earns 4M a year can't afford a hotel for 5 nights.

I just don't see where Evenepoel is gaining 30 seconds on Pogacar by going a week early and knowing the course better.

 

[Andre]

the more times he rides the route the better he'll be familiar with the road

 

[Berflamand]

No, not in 3 U- turns.


That's what Foss thought in 2022. If Pogacar is on his game, it doesn't matter whether he is there longer or not. It's still a potential 10-20-30 seconds that Evenepoel might be able to ride faster, which he might very well need if he wants to win. I also doubt someone who earns 4M a year can't afford a hotel for 5 nights.

I mean, you have a point but I think you're over exaggerating it a bit.

In 2022 he was tired from the Vuelta and a significant jetlag which made the recons more difficult even in the last days leading up to the TT. On top of that it was a very technical TT.

This year he will (or at least should) have fresh legs and won't have any jetlag while the course looks very non-technical. I think the difference between having two full days of recon or let's say four to five full days of recon will be rather negligible on this course.

But ok if Pogi wins with a gap of less than 10-20 seconds it might have been worth the investment to go earlier. I guess we'll see on sunday.

 

[AmRacer]

No, not in 3 U- turns.


That's what Foss thought in 2022. If Pogacar is on his game, it doesn't matter whether he is there longer or not. It's still a potential 10-20-30 seconds that Evenepoel might be able to ride faster, which he might very well need if he wants to win. I also doubt someone who earns 4M a year can't afford a hotel for 5 nights.

Some riders want to stay at altitude as long as possible. The race isn't at sea level.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I mean, you have a point but I think you're over exaggerating it a bit.

In 2022 he was tired from the Vuelta and a significant jetlag which made the recons more difficult even in the last days leading up to the TT. On top of that it was a very technical TT.

This year he will (or at least should) have fresh legs and won't have any jetlag while the course looks very non-technical. I think the difference between having two full days of recon or let's say four to five full days of recon will be rather negligible on this course.

But ok if Pogi wins with a gap of less than 10-20 seconds it might have been worth the investment to go earlier. I guess we'll see on sunday.

This is a misrepresentation of the facts. How many times in his life has Foss beaten Evenepoel OR Küng OR Ganna in an ITT? Well that day he beat them all. Foss was the only one who was there two weeks in advance to recon the circuit, even before the circuit was closed off for traffic.
You can see how Evenepoel takes the corners that he took them a lot slower and safer than Foss did. I'm not the only one saying this, this was the general consensus by most analysts that Evenepoel lost that WCC in the corners to an inferior rider who had simply studied the course much better.
Evenepoel even stated right after the TT that he had never pushed better numbers in a TT before, which is why he was so surprised to be beaten by Foss.

 

[Berniece]

This is a misrepresentation of the facts. How many times in his life has Foss beaten Evenepoel OR Küng OR Ganna in an ITT? Well that day he beat them all. Foss was the only one who was there two weeks in advance to recon the circuit, even before the circuit was closed off for traffic.
You can see how Evenepoel takes the corners that he took them a lot slower and safer than Foss did. I'm not the only one saying this, this was the general consensus by most analysts that Evenepoel lost that WCC in the corners to an inferior rider who had simply studied the course much better.
Evenepoel even stated right after the TT that he had never pushed better numbers in a TT before, which is why he was so surprised to be beaten by Foss.

It’s also true that Evenepoel had a jet lag and wasn’t able to recon as well due to it

 

[Berflamand]

This is a misrepresentation of the facts. How many times in his life has Foss beaten Evenepoel OR Küng OR Ganna in an ITT? Well that day he beat them all. Foss was the only one who was there two weeks in advance to recon the circuit, even before the circuit was closed off for traffic.
You can see how Evenepoel takes the corners that he took them a lot slower and safer than Foss did. I'm not the only one saying this, this was the general consensus by most analysts that Evenepoel lost that WCC in the corners to an inferior rider who had simply studied the course much better.
Evenepoel even stated right after the TT that he had never pushed better numbers in a TT before, which is why he was so surprised to be beaten by Foss.

I agree with all this.

What facts did I misrepresent?

I was talking about the impact of the jetlag on his recons. IIRC he definitely was very tired that week and only found his power back on the race day.

 

[AmRacer]

I agree with all this.

What facts did I misrepresent?

I was talking about the impact of the jetlag on his recons. IIRC he definitely was very tired that week and only found his power back on the race day.

So he should've gone earlier then.

 

[Berflamand]

So he should've gone earlier then.

Ofcourse going earlier would be better.

I just think the impact on this type of course would be minimal, especially since he will have 2 full days to recon it without having to battle a jetlag.

Or are you talking about Wollongong? Because he was rather busy winning the Vuelta at that time.

 

[Berniece]

Ofcourse going earlier would be better.

I just think the impact on this type of course would be minimal, especially since he will have 2 full days to recon it without having to battle a jetlag.

2.5 days even, they do another recon in the morning normally.

 

[yaco]

So he should've gone earlier then.

He flew out to Australia either on the night of his Vuelta victory or the next day with a bunch of Belgian journalists.