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

[Netserk]

If pulling on the flat with others in his wheel is good for Evenepoel, should he then have continued in the gravel stage last year in the Tour to pull Vingegaard without expecting any pulls from him?

 

[Berniece]

So if he had only started his sprint later, you think he rode the last 3 km the right way to win?

Depending on the result, yes. If he rode the perfect sprint and still lost, then you can say he rode the last 3km's wrong and a different tactic should have been used. But if he rode the perfect sprint, and won, it might have been thanks to pulling those last 3km's, keeping the pace high, and not giving the others time to recuperate more.

 

[Berniece]

If pulling on the flat with others in his wheel is good for Evenepoel, should he then have continued in the gravel stage last year in the Tour to pull Vingegaard without expecting any pulls from him?

Was that the situation? Same distance to finish? Same distance to peloton?

 

[Netserk]

Was that the situation? Same distance to finish? Same distance to peloton?

Does pulling on the flat with Pogi and Vingegaard in his wheel cook them or not? If he can cook them like that, why not do it for 80 km?

 

[Berniece]

Does pulling on the flat with Pogi and Vingegaard in his wheel cook them or not? If he can cook them like that, why not do it for 80 km?

It needs to be rolling terrain, and the race needs to be long and hard.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Does pulling on the flat with Pogi and Vingegaard in his wheel cook them or not? If he can cook them like that, why not do it for 80 km?

You understand, when there are two, only one of them can sit in your wheel, right?

 

[Netserk]

You understand, when there are two, only one of them can sit in your wheel, right?

So if he tolerated Vingegaard, he gets to cook Pogi? That sounds like a successful strategy for the overall victory to ride against the biggest favourite like that.

If it works, that is.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So if he tolerated Vingegaard, he gets to cook Pogi? That sounds like a successful strategy for the overall victory to ride against the biggest favourite like that.

If it works, that is.

lol, sure. Great strategy in case Visma pays him.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Today we confirmed Remco bike handling/descending should not be much of a worry anymore.

 

[Berniece]

Today we confirmed Remco bike handling/descending should not be much of a worry anymore.

And that he obviously would've been able to follow Pogacar/Ayuso/Del Toro on Mont Kigali

 

[KoopaCycling]

A pity he won't ride Chrono. that's the end of the season. Hopefully next season will be less eventful.

Also i just realised. remco become second in all championships this year. Bel. Nat RR, EC RR, and WC RR.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Today we confirmed Remco bike handling/descending should not be much of a worry anymore.

I don't agree. He really was pushing to drop Storer and keep Del Toro behind, sprinting from hairpin to hairpin, while he did not come closer to Pogacar. Imho that is a big part of the reason why Pogacar was able to cruise away from him on the flat, because he went deep on the climb and the descent because he had to drop Seixas, Del Toro and Storer when he still could. It wasn't bad by any means, but Pog did that descent just as quickly much more conservatively.

 

[Netserk]

It needs to be rolling terrain, and the race needs to be long and hard.

Like from the top of Ganda to Bergamo?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Most importantly, with today's result he now overtakes Nibali and Kristoff on PCS all-time ranking.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Not a myth, showed this at AGR.

No he didn't. Pogacar cooked himself. Very strong Evenepoel caught him. 8km to go. Tried to go past and their Pogacar had trouble for a moment. And then? They lost 10" or so to the group behind... There was absolutely ZERO cooking going on there. The cooking was the chase, which was impressive enough. Why try to make it something else? And he certainly didn't cook Skjelmose who was in Remco's wheel for way longer and at a higher tempo than Pogacar.

 

[AlpRaid]

Good pickup by Red Bull now that Rog is really not “there” any more. And cannot see Lipowitz getting anywhere close to Remoco in the last three weeks.

However, not sure how good the switch is for Remco. Red Bull seem to underperform at most races.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I don't agree. He really was pushing to drop Storer and keep Del Toro behind, sprinting from hairpin to hairpin, while he did not come closer to Pogacar. Imho that is a big part of the reason why Pogacar was able to cruise away from him on the flat, because he went deep on the climb and the descent because he had to drop Seixas, Del Toro and Storer when he still could. It wasn't bad by any means, but Pog did that descent just as quickly much more conservatively.

I'm not saying he is a top descender. He ain't Nibali. But not one iffy moment. He looked stable, picking his lines well.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm not saying he is a top descender. He ain't Nibali. But not one iffy moment. He looked stable, picking his lines well.

Yes, like i said, it wasn't bad by any means. But we have to wonder without going full on every straight section like he did, how much time would he have lost to Pog then? Let's say for argument's sake that he lost 45 seconds on a 9km descent to Pogacar with equal effort, would you still be saying his descending is not an issue anymore?

 

[KoopaCycling]

Yes, like i said, it wasn't bad by any means. But we have to wonder without going full on every straight section like he did, how much time would he have lost to Pog then? Let's say for argument's sake that he lost 45 seconds on a 9km descent to Pogacar with equal effort, would you still be saying his descending is not an issue anymore?

Pogacar was also going relative full. It's the extra effort only pogacar can seemingly put in on a climb that's the issue imo.
Not his descending anymore. At least Pogacar decided to keep an eye out for the optics this time around and was standings on his pedals when he accelerated.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pogacar was also going relative full.

Didn't see him sprinting after every turn. As i said, imho that was why Pog was able to put 40s into Evenepoel on the flat after the descent.

 

[Berniece]

Like from the top of Ganda to Bergamo?

Like when Simmons dropped? And eventually Storer?

 

[Berniece]

Decent end of the season, looking forward to a good winter build up and winning classics and monuments again in 2026

 

[KoopaCycling]

Didn't see him sprinting after every turn. As i said, imho that was why Pog was able to put 40s into Evenepoel on the flat after the descent.

Pogacar is a great bike handler. But i wonder if he ever will get his come uppance. So far when he crashed he got away relative scotch free. Today he again took unnecessary risks with those red thingies in the middle of the road.

Remco descending in TdF 2024 was far worse, than what we saw today. I think his current level of descending is def. good enough.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Are we talking about one-day races? Then I certainly agree.

If we're talking about GTs, I think Remco might have his hands full with Lipo next year. I'm not sure the only thing I'm sure of in that department is that I'm uncertain about Remco. Hopefully, his change of team will amplify him to be more consistent uphill. I think the odds are better for that than the other way around. More money, more science, and theyve had their test runs. Time will tell in that regard.

The riders at red bull are imo more than capable of doing what soudal did today. The question is, will they want to ride for remco and slightly ruin their own chances.

Keep in mind Catteneo will be coming to red bull as well.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Remco should finally try Milan-San Remco! This monument is more unpredictable than others and has a few different winning patterns: Remco could win it with a solo in the finale (if riders from his group hesitate for a moment). I can't believe he hasn't tried it yet.