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

[AmRacer]

Whereas i would definitely like to have seen Remco at MSR i don’t think that’s a plausible explanation. Indeed most people would have thought Pog be doing Dauphine.

It’s clear Remco has chosen the stage racing route this year with the exception of LBL which generally suits the stage racers and fits their prep more anyway.

Pogi must ride Suisse at some point, 2026 season is perfect doing so.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Pogacar could ride AGR or Catalunya. On top of that, not riding Flanders and MSR wasn’t his decision. Denk said the team didn’t want this

AGR after P-R probably won't happen again. And Catalunya already has Almeida from UAE, Pogacar won't ride it

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Whereas i would definitely like to have seen Remco at MSR i don’t think that’s a plausible explanation. Indeed most people would have thought Pog be doing Dauphine.

It’s clear Remco has chosen the stage racing route this year with the exception of LBL which generally suits the stage racers and fits their prep more anyway.

Did they? Because it seemed like a perfect opportunity, at least to me, to switch Dauphine with Suisse now that it's only 5 days

 

[Berniece]

AGR after P-R probably won't happen again. And Catalunya already has Almeida from UAE, Pogacar won't ride it

And that’s Evenepoel’s fault?

 

[AmRacer]

It seems they will try GC Remco 2026 season. If it goes well, maybe they try again 2027. Or they try 1-day Remco 2027.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

And that’s Evenepoel’s fault?

No but I'm saying that he definitely knew Pogacar would be at MSR and Flandres and he skipped both. If he didn't reveal his schedule first I'd say he's avoiding Pogacar, could be just very unfortunate coincidence

 

[KoopaCycling]

I have not seen Pogacar schedule yet. But i do not think Remco is the kind of rider to purposely duck someone. If that was the case he would not be riding the tour as his main goal. This was just the schedule that made sense for both Red Bull and Remco.

 

[AmRacer]

No but I'm saying that he definitely knew Pogacar would be at MSR and Flandres and he skipped both. If he didn't reveal his schedule first I'd say he's avoiding Pogacar, could be just very unfortunate coincidence

Remco is avoiding Mathieu, do keep up.

 

[Berniece]

No but I'm saying that he definitely knew Pogacar would be at MSR and Flandres and he skipped both. If he didn't reveal his schedule first I'd say he's avoiding Pogacar, could be just very unfortunate coincidence

Yeah but like I said, Denk said Remco wanted to ride those races but the team decided against it. Not really Evenepoel’s fault.

I would’ve loved seeing him ride MSR and PR, but happy he’s at a team that finally doesn’t just do whatever Evenepoel thinks is best

 

[AmRacer]

Yeah but like I said, Denk said Remco wanted to ride those races but the team decided against it. Not really Evenepoel’s fault.

I would’ve loved seeing him ride MSR and PR, but happy he’s at a team that finally doesn’t just do whatever Evenepoel thinks is best

Remco will eventually ride MSR and RVV.

 

[Berniece]

Remco will eventually ride MSR and RVV.

Hopefully next year, although I’m still going for MSR this year. I don’t see how you want to win a monument this year (RBH goal) and only do LBL and Lombardia with Evenepoel

 

[Jan the Man]

Yeah but like I said, Denk said Remco wanted to ride those races but the team decided against it. Not really Evenepoel’s fault.

I would’ve loved seeing him ride MSR and PR, but happy he’s at a team that finally doesn’t just do whatever Evenepoel thinks is best

To a point i agree - re having a team which does not just do whatever a rider wants. However it clearly important to keep the rider motivation high and take the rider with you in the decision making.

I can well imagine UAE not being particularly keen on Pog doing Roubaix but that would lead to an unhappy Pog.

I don’t really see why MSR is incompatible with Remco’s schedule. I guess i understand not RVV although i would have liked to see him there.

 

[HashRouge]

To a point i agree - re having a team which does not just do whatever a rider wants. However it clearly important to keep the rider motivation high and take the rider with you in the decision making.

I can well imagine UAE not being particularly keen on Pog doing Roubaix but that would lead to an unhappy Pog.

I don’t really see why MSR is incompatible with Remco’s schedule. I guess i understand not RVV although i would have liked to see him there.

It seems that they're trying to give him an uncomplicated season and see what comes from (hopefully) having absolute optimum preparation for the Tour. Ronan Mclaughlin on the Spin Cycle podcast seemed to think Red Bull have got enough up their sleeves that we should expect Remco to make some significant gains next year.

 

[peterfin]

No but I'm saying that he definitely knew Pogacar would be at MSR and Flandres and he skipped both. If he didn't reveal his schedule first I'd say he's avoiding Pogacar, could be just very unfortunate coincidence

Remco gave RBH two wish-lists: one was focussed on the Giro and the Tour and the other one on classics (inc MSR and RVV) and the Tour. Apparantly RBH wants a schedule that focusses more on training with lower risk to have 'peak-Remco' at the tour. Remco is not the one who takes the final decision here. He isn't riding for SQS anymore. I am sure he understands the decision but obviously if he could just race what he likes, he would rather do a year with the races of one of his wish-lists than a year with only 40 race days.

 

[houtdffan]

Remco gave RBH two wish-lists: one was focussed on the Giro and the Tour and the other one on classics (inc MSR and RVV) and the Tour. Apparantly RBH wants a schedule that focusses more on training with lower risk to have 'peak-Remco' at the tour. Remco is not the one who takes the final decision here. He isn't riding for SQS anymore. I am sure he understands the decision but obviously if he could just race what he likes, he would rather do a year with the races of one of his wish-lists than a year with only 40 race days.

his schedule is not final. He's adding a couple of races to that. It was made clear at the press conference.

I could see Pais Vasco added for instance

 

[Berniece]

his schedule is not final. He's adding a couple of races to that. It was made clear at the press conference.

I could see Pais Vasco added for instance

I think they’ll deliberately skip that because it’s also quite dangerous

 

[peterfin]

Remco just won for the 5th time the Belgian Sportsman of the Year Award. Only Merckx did better with 6 titles.

 

[houtdffan]

Remco said he will compete on Paris Roubaix in the future

« L’objectif principal de ma carrière, c’est de gagner les trois Grands Tours » : Remco Evenepoel explique son choix de rejoindre Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

Invité de l’émission « Bartoli Time », ce dimanche sur RMC Sport, Remco Evenepoel est longuement revenu sur les raisons de son départ de Quick-Step et sur ses grandes ambitions avec sa nouvelle équipe, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.

www.sudinfo.be

Finally, Remco Evenepoel doesn't rule out one day competing on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, without making it an immediate priority. "Of course, one day I'll be at the start, that's clear

 

[Berniece]

Remco said he will compete on Paris Roubaix in the future

« L’objectif principal de ma carrière, c’est de gagner les trois Grands Tours » : Remco Evenepoel explique son choix de rejoindre Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

Invité de l’émission « Bartoli Time », ce dimanche sur RMC Sport, Remco Evenepoel est longuement revenu sur les raisons de son départ de Quick-Step et sur ses grandes ambitions avec sa nouvelle équipe, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.

www.sudinfo.be

Finally, Remco Evenepoel doesn't rule out one day competing on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, without making it an immediate priority. "Of course, one day I'll be at the start, that's clear

He shouldn’t wait too long. Next year he should also do all 5 monuments

 

[Cycling111]

Remco said he will compete on Paris Roubaix in the future

« L’objectif principal de ma carrière, c’est de gagner les trois Grands Tours » : Remco Evenepoel explique son choix de rejoindre Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

Invité de l’émission « Bartoli Time », ce dimanche sur RMC Sport, Remco Evenepoel est longuement revenu sur les raisons de son départ de Quick-Step et sur ses grandes ambitions avec sa nouvelle équipe, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.

www.sudinfo.be

Finally, Remco Evenepoel doesn't rule out one day competing on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, without making it an immediate priority. "Of course, one day I'll be at the start, that's clear

When MVDP retires 😜

He said the same thing about Flanders a couple of years ago; even Lefevere said it could be imminent, and it hasn't happened

 

[Berniece]

When MVDP retires 😜

He said the same thing about Flanders a couple of years ago; even Lefevere said it could be imminent, and it hasn't happened

It’s almost as if Evenepoel can’t decide this on his own and there are other people weighing in on this decision

 

[KoopaCycling]

If there was any doubt left he'll be focusing on stage racing next year, he also made it clear he won't focus as much on TT this year. Planning to skip title defences. I'm guessing he won't do the Belgian Nationals nor UEC.

 

[KenFiamingo]

If there was any doubt left he'll be focusing on stage racing next year, he also made it clear he won't focus as much on TT this year. Planning to skip title defences. I'm guessing he won't do the Belgian Nationals nor UEC.

I think this all makes sense. GC Remco is perfectly capable of winning one day races and TT's. But TT/spring Remco is not capable of winning major GC's.

 

[Berniece]

I think this all makes sense. GC Remco is perfectly capable of winning one day races and TT's. But TT/spring Remco is not capable of winning major GC's.

I still expect Remco whose focus lays more on accelerating during spring though. It's not like he's doing hard 15km climbs now with Valencia and Catalunya

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It’s almost as if Evenepoel can’t decide this on his own and there are other people weighing in on this decision

In RBH Evenepoel maybe won't have more to say than in SQS. He would probably like to do MSR and RVV but let's see if RBH allows him to in 2026.