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

[Red Rick]

Biggest win is CSS and is a GC rider but ofcourse he'll win Roubaix.

 

[BlueRoads]

Roubaix seems more likely than MSR to me...

 

[hayneplane]

Biggest win is CSS and is a GC rider but ofcourse he'll win Roubaix.

Nibali is a GC specialist winning all three Grand Tours and still won MSR in a highly specialised era.

For what it’s worth had they built their years prep around it I think both Nibali and Valverde at their best could have won Flanders and feel both Pogacar and Roglic could now be strong contenders.

 

[Red Rick]

Nibali is a GC specialist winning all three Grand Tours and still won MSR in a highly specialised era.

For what it’s worth had they built their years prep around it I think both Nibali and Valverde at their best could have won Flanders and feel both Pogacar and Roglic could now be strong contenders.

I don't think so at all. Maybe Valverde when he could still win bunch sprints. They're not gonna get a gap on this terrain then solo it home IMO.

 

[Koronin]

If I remember correct, Sagan said he thought Valverde could have won Flanders if he had raced it a few times in his prime.

 

[red_flanders]

In RVV who is going to catch him in the finale if he crests the Paterberg with a 10-15 seconds lead barring a significantly cooperative chase group which very rarely happens.

They're not catching him even if they do co-operate. Would love to see him to that race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Biggest win is CSS and is a GC rider but ofcourse he'll win Roubaix.

So, if tomorrow he decides he's not going to ride GC's anymore... then he could win Roubaix?
And, if he hadn't won CSS last year, and hadn't won any classic at the age of 19, the same number of classics won by Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan, Merckx, De Vlaeminck etc, at that age, then he could win Roubaix?

Or is there actually an argument that you forgot to write before hitting the reply button? You could try with him being too light/small for Roubaix, or him not liking cobbles and missing the technique of riding cobbles. Those are just suggestions of course. Then we could discuss if his weight/size would really be an issue, considering he's also the first worldclass timetrialist of his size/weight since... Hinault? Who incidentally also won drumrolls Roubaix.

I think it's unlikely he'll win Roubaix, because it doesn't seem like he'll ever want to ride Roubaix. Other than that, him being a GC rider or having "only won" CSS at his age is a joke of an argument.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1332112183757594627

View: https://twitter.com/CiclismoInter/status/1332112183757594627

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1332112183757594627

View: https://twitter.com/CiclismoInter/status/1332112183757594627

I have no idea what's up with all these journalists lately.

The comment in the article translates into: In addition, he dared to offer some advice to Remco. “If I were him, I would try to win all the Monuments first. Il Lombardia may be too difficult, but he can actually win anywhere, although to win a Grand Tour he would have to lose a few kilos ”.

But Gilbert was talking about van Aert, not about Remco.

 

[Boes]

Races like RVV & PR, assuming the cobbles aren't the issue for him (which they might, at least in PR), are definitely within his limits, because those are races where everybody "dies". As such, it is possible for him in such races to simply "outlast" the competition and ride away in the final. No need for a sprint or punchy uphill attack. Those are races that are suited to longer range attacks, so if he ever were to compete there, i'd definitely say he's a contender.

I'm not sure. Accelerate after every bend, sprint to get a good position towards every hill or cobbled section. I don't see him excelling in those things today even with the excellent DQS team. The only way I see him winning is that by some bizarre race progress he gets 15-20 seconds on f.e. the Koppenberg and he attacks long range out.

MSR is more difficult, but not impossible. Again his team would need to make it a tough race and he would need to go solo here as well. The race isn't suited to that, but i don't think it's impossible. Not sure many domestiques will ride the poggio faster than him. But he can't wait for the final steep part of the Poggio, because then it's too late for him and he won't get away (unless lucky).

FW is something else entirely. If he goes solo before the penultimate Mur, who's going to follow him? Who's going to chase him and pave the way for Alaphilippe? In Julian he has the perfect tag-teammate for FW.

Those 2 races are, for me, the least likely for him to win.
MSR: I don't see him winning in a sprint, I don't see him punching away on the Poggio nor staying away or attacking in the descent (please don't try remco ). Perhaps if he snuck away on the Via Roma from a limited group, but that seems unlikely.

FW:

I agree, Alaphilippe is the perfect teammate for him in that regard. Still, those teams who are strong and see chances in beating Alaphilippe in an uphill sprint (Sunweb, maybe UAE with Pogacar) might chase when they realize letting Evenepoel go is a sure way to lose.

Don't forget that FW is 'only' 200-ish K's, so in the sprint towards the Mur, there are still a lot of domestiques who's races end at the bottum of the Mur.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm not sure. Accelerate after every bend, sprint to get a good position towards every hill or cobbled section. I don't see him excelling in those things today even with the excellent DQS team. The only way I see him winning is that by some bizarre race progress he gets 15-20 seconds on f.e. the Koppenberg and he attacks long range out.

Just to be clear, i'm not claiming he will or should win those races, just that hypothetically, he has other tools to win those races (compared to usual suspects), assuming his injury doesn't leave its mark.

The sooner there is a selected group at RVV, the better for him. Not just because it suits his endurance, but also because it makes maneuvering and fighting for position a lot less troublesome. If DQT drill the race early on it would definitely be in his benefit. There have been other GC riders that are not used to riding on these roads who performed well enough to see that it is definitely not impossible for him. Especially since he knows the roads better and has the best classics team in support. He also won his first official pro race on exactly these roads, while it was wet. Definitely not impossible.

Those 2 races are, for me, the least likely for him to win.
MSR: I don't see him winning in a sprint, I don't see him punching away on the Poggio nor staying away or attacking in the descent (please don't try remco ). Perhaps if he snuck away on the Via Roma from a limited group, but that seems unlikely.

If you are talking about MSR, it would be difficult considering the race has only few possible scenarios that work, and the ones that include an attack prior to the steep part of the Poggio are nearly nonexistent. However, Remco is at his strongest on shallow climbs, where he can both profit from his TT abilities in combination with his low weight. If he can get away (solo or in a group doesn't really matter at that point), and start the Poggio with 20s on the peloton, i'd be curious to see who is going to bring him back.

Don't forget that FW is 'only' 200-ish K's, so in the sprint towards the Mur, there are still a lot of domestiques who's races end at the bottum of the Mur.

I actually think FW is one of the more likely classics for him to win. Attack on the penultimate Mur, get a few "watchdogs" or opportunists with him, do his thing before the final climb and the peloton would need to be right behind him... and again pave the way for Alaphilippe, in order to neutralize him.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

I agree Milano-San Remo and Roubaix could be the two classics which Evenepoel will never be able to win. Winning Flanders is not totally impossible. Maybe in a few years and if he focuses on that race in the spring (not bone-thin, trained for endurance en resistance). The last decades, we don't see succesfull breakeaways in M-S. Only jumps on the last (hunderd of) meters of the top of the Poggio, and sometimes in the streets of San-Remo. The Poggio is not difficult enough, to attack from the start and make an important difference. So, Evenepoel reaching the top with a small lead, possible. Just stay ahead, no. Maybe in a small group, but then he is always defeated in a sprint. Even win Liège-Bastogne-Liège, with the current course (too easy last kilometers), could prove to difficult to win for Evenepoel.

 

[Bonimenier]

So, Evenepoel reaching the top with a small lead, possible. Just stay ahead, no.

I would think the opposite. I don't think he can get away with an attack on the Poggio because there will always be more explosive riders present, but if he manages to get a gap, I'd give him more chances than most others to keep it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I would think the opposite. I don't think he can get away with an attack on the Poggio because there will always be more explosive riders present, but if he manages to get a gap, I'd give him more chances than most others to keep it.

I said he needs to have a gap before the Poggio.

 

[BlueRoads]

If Evenepoel beats Alaphilippe on the Poggio before Ala's 35 we're doomed.

 

[Salvarani]

Depending on what happens in a race, someone can always. No matter what type of race.

 

[red_flanders]

Biggest win is CSS and is a GC rider but ofcourse he'll win Roubaix.

Odd comment. He's ridden how many classics so far? His winning percentage seems pretty strong. Did anyone say "of course he'll win Roubaix“? I don't think he's ideal for Roubaix with his size, but he's not ill-suited for it either. The kid has a crazy amount of power and endurance.

 

[houtdffan]

If Evenepoel beats Alaphilippe on the Poggio before Ala's 35 we're doomed.

unless he goes from the base of the Poggio or he attacks on the Ciapressa

 

[Big Doopie]

oh, my! VDP calls remco "borderline arrogant" and then in the very next breath says that you will never see him busting his ass for another rider in the TDF like Van Aert did...

talk about arrogant.

huge fan of VDP after Amstel last year.

prefer Van Aert and Remco now without a doubt.

 

[tobydawq]

oh, my! VDP calls remco "borderline arrogant" and then in the very next breath says that you will never see him busting his ass for another rider in the TDF like Van Aert did...

talk about arrogant.

huge fan of VDP after Amstel last year.

prefer Van Aert and Remco now without a doubt.

Why? He is just more ambitious than Van Aert. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Big Doopie]

Why? He is just more ambitious than Van Aert. Nothing wrong with that.

It's called "irony".

he complains that Remco is "borderline arrogant", but then says that you will never see him doing the "lowly" act of serving another rider (my words for emphasis). Nothing wrong with ambition -- then why criticize Remco for it? At least remco has been willing to work for other riders (Gilbert and Ala).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

oh, my! VDP calls remco "borderline arrogant" and then in the very next breath says that you will never see him busting his ass for another rider in the TDF like Van Aert did...

talk about arrogant.

huge fan of VDP after Amstel last year.

prefer Van Aert and Remco now without a doubt.

Best to take whatever you read with a pinch of salt before verifying. Same thing with Evenepoel losing 5kg according to CN (which was false). Or same thing with him having to lose weight in order to do Grand Tours (the initial quote was about van Aert, not Evenepoel).

Same here, the original quote is not at all as extreme:

“Al vind ik vind zijn uitspraken soms op het randje, maar iedereen is zoals hij is: als hij de dingen zo wil zeggen, moet hij dat vooral doen”, klinkt het. “Voor ons kan dat arrogant overkomen, maar in zijn ogen geeft het waarschijnlijk vooral blijk van zelfvertrouwen. Nu, hij mag dan grootse uitspraken doen, vaak antwoordt hij ook met de pedalen. Straf, hoor! Weet je, ik heb ook al gezegd dat ik in de drie disciplines wereldtop wil worden, mét Olympisch goud op de mountainbike. Dat zijn óók ambitieuze uitspraken.”

google translated:
(EDIT: i edited the translation to what i feel most closely fits what he meant)

“Although I sometimes find his statements edgey, but everyone is the way he is: if that's the way he wants to say things, then he should certainly do so,” he says. “This may come across as arrogant to us, but in his mind it probably mainly shows self-confidence. Well, he may make great statements, but he often answers with the pedals as well. Impressive! You know, I also said that I want to become world top in the three disciplines, with Olympic gold on the mountain bike. Those are also ambitious statements. ”

 

[Spine Concept]

oh, my! VDP calls remco "borderline arrogant" and then in the very next breath says that you will never see him busting his ass for another rider in the TDF like Van Aert did...

talk about arrogant.

huge fan of VDP after Amstel last year.

prefer Van Aert and Remco now without a doubt.

Unless it was horribly translated or they (your source) only used excerpts of the interview which are misleading, yikes.

 

[tobydawq]

Why is it so bad to not want to ride like Kwiatkowski or Van Aert? I hate seeing good riders wasted like that, and it kills the racing.

 

[red_flanders]

I don't see all the statements from Remco and all these guys, but I'd like to see which statements are "borderline", because to me mostly he's just very frank about what his ambitions are. Which strikes me as very typical if my Mom and the rest of my Flemish family are any indication. They kind of just state things as they see them. Very nice, very kind and considerate, very classy, but very straightforward.

Maybe he is arrogant as many have said, I've just not seen it, but I don't read Flemish. Appreciate the translations @Logic-is-your-friend