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

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Feb 1, 2011
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And again, Evenepoel was asked a direct question in a lengthy interview, within a set context created by the interviewer on earlier statements by Caleb Ewan.

Furthermore Evenepoel doesn't act like the Spokesperson of the team or Jakobsen, he simply states what he thinks and feels. The tweet by the journalist is telling. The fact that you posted the Plugge story and not what Evenepoel actually said, also.

I posted a link to what I read on cyclingnews, I don't really follow pro cycling anywhere else (except when it pops up in mainstream news).

And I stand by what I said. Just because he was asked doesn't mean he has to answer.
 
I posted a link to what I read on cyclingnews, I don't really follow pro cycling anywhere else (except when it pops up in mainstream news).

And I stand by what I said. Just because he was asked doesn't mean he has to answer.
You don't have to follow cycling anywhere else, but you could ask yourself the question if that is really what happened before judging. Context and accurate translations are important. You know how press/media works. If twisting words or implying meaning leads to more clicks, they will do it.

And sure, he didn't have to answer, but why shouldn't he in this case, he said nothing wrong.
 
Sep 9, 2012
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Well there is intent and there is intent. I remember some years ago Paolo Bettini, wearing the Quick-Step uniform, veered off his sprint line to win a stage of the Giro and was rightly disqualified. Fortunately nobody crashed in the no less dirty move, but the potential for disaster was there, while clearly Bettini was equally blinded by the prospect of victory as Groenwegen. Nothing more came of the incident, however, but only because nobody got hurt.

The point is that only the rider's actions are being considered in relation to the outcomes, without objectively noticing the inherent dangers of the sport or the contradictions involved in mounting tensions which drive up the revenues that perpetuate the show. Cycling, like all sport, is after all fundamentally a show buisness. None of this, I don't think, can be compared to an inattentive motorist texting on his smartphone. But anyone is free to disagree.

Of course it's no excuse for fowl play either, any more than texting on a smartphone absolves a motorist from running over a pedestrian, but the contexts are so vastly different that further analogy between them isn't possible.
Actually, he was ranked as fourth, and also kept his pink and ciclamino jerseys.
 
Jan 8, 2020
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Actually, he was ranked as fourth, and also kept his pink and ciclamino jerseys.
Perhaps I'm thinking of another incident, but whatever the case it definitely involved Bettini and his swerve made Groenwegen's seem amateurish by comparison.
 
Jan 29, 2020
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Anybody knows if his recovery is still going as planned and if he's still training in Tenerife?

The last couple of weeks his social media went quiet again. The last time that happened I had a really bad feeling about it and it turned out he had his setback and hadn't been training for a few weeks. So I'm a little worried right now again as he usually posts regularly when things are going well for him.

Obviously I hope there's no problem at all and I'm just overly worried but I'd like an update on his recovery process which we haven't had for a while.
 
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Sep 4, 2017
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Anybody knows if his recovery is still going as planned and if he's still training in Tenerife?

The last couple of weeks his social media went quiet again. The last time that happened I had a really bad feeling about it and it turned out he had his setback and hadn't been training for a few weeks. So I'm a little worried right now again as he usually posts regularly when things are going well for him.

Obviously I hope there's no problem at all and I'm just overly worried but I'd like an update on his recovery process which we haven't had for a while.

Don't know but I would hope it is just a sign that he is knuckling down and focusing on training without inviting further external pressure.
 
Anybody knows if his recovery is still going as planned and if he's still training in Tenerife?

The last couple of weeks his social media went quiet again. The last time that happened I had a really bad feeling about it and it turned out he had his setback and hadn't been training for a few weeks. So I'm a little worried right now again as he usually posts regularly when things are going well for him.

Obviously I hope there's no problem at all and I'm just overly worried but I'd like an update on his recovery process which we haven't had for a while.
The Humo interview is only a week old or so, and that had been taken after his lengthy video interview with Sporza, which was published a few weeks ago.

In this case, i agree with @hayneplane, hoping he's focusing on what's important.
 
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Jan 29, 2020
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The Humo interview is only a week old or so, and that had been taken after his lengthy video interview with Sporza, which was published a few weeks ago.

In this case, i agree with @hayneplane, hoping he's focusing on what's important.

Yeah you're both probably right but I'm looking forward to an update on his recovery process, however small, to be reassured.
 
Apr 3, 2009
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Wouldn't be surprised if someone's been coaching him to keep things on the down low after the blowback from his interview last week, ridiculous as that blowback was.
 
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Wouldn't be surprised if someone's been coaching him to keep things on the down low after the blowback from his interview last week, ridiculous as that blowback was.
I certainly hope so. While i fully agree he didn't say anything wrong, there have been other instances when it would have been better to remain silent. Unfortunately, unless they hired a new media manager/spokesperson for Remco, i'm not sure we should be expecting any positive changes in that regard. She appears to know nothing about cycling, she was even convinced it was Mathieu van der Poel who crashed down the bridge and not Remco, and her entire career is rather "dubious", posting duckface selfies and appearing to care more about her own persona than that of her clients. I think DQT fired her, but then Remco's parents hired her as a personal manager for Remco.
 

Bonimenier

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Apr 1, 2019
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Anybody knows if his recovery is still going as planned and if he's still training in Tenerife?

The last couple of weeks his social media went quiet again. The last time that happened I had a really bad feeling about it and it turned out he had his setback and hadn't been training for a few weeks. So I'm a little worried right now again as he usually posts regularly when things are going well for him.

Obviously I hope there's no problem at all and I'm just overly worried but I'd like an update on his recovery process which we haven't had for a while.
Still in Tenerife. Even training with a European and former World champ.

 
Jan 29, 2020
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There's an interview today in Het Nieuwsblad with his trainer, Koen Pelgrim (https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210318_97631410).

Interesting tidbits:

  • Everything is going according to plan. He doesn't have any pain anymore on the bike and has no more issues with his injuries.
  • He's still building up his form. He has done altitude training with Masnada and Honoré but not the same volume they did. They did longer training rides up to 7 hours while Remco's longest rides have been 5 hours the last few days.
  • He's still eager to get back but the last few months have taught him to be calm and to not skip any steps in his recovery and training.
  • He's still a long way from his best form but that is normal and expected at this stage.
  • They are still aiming for the Giro without any race before that. They do not expect him to dominate the Giro but they want him to be of value for the team and to finish the Giro with a good feeling.
  • He returned to Belgium (I think today or yesterday) and will have a couple of days of rest before starting the training again next week.
  • The next step is a new altitude camp in april with the Giro teammates.
 
Sep 4, 2017
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There's an interview today in Het Nieuwsblad with his trainer, Koen Pelgrim (https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210318_97631410).

Interesting tidbits:

  • Everything is going according to plan. He doesn't have any pain anymore on the bike and has no more issues with his injuries.
  • He's still building up his form. He has done altitude training with Masnada and Honoré but not the same volume they did. They did longer training rides up to 7 hours while Remco's longest rides have been 5 hours the last few days.
  • He's still eager to get back but the last few months have taught him to be calm and to not skip any steps in his recovery and training.
  • He's still a long way from his best form but that is normal and expected at this stage.
  • They are still aiming for the Giro without any race before that. They do not expect him to dominate the Giro but they want him to be of value for the team and to finish the Giro with a good feeling.
  • He returned to Belgium (I think today or yesterday) and will have a couple of days of rest before starting the training again next week.
  • The next step is a new altitude camp in april with the Giro teammates.

All sounds positive and I would expect that even if he is exceeding expectations with his numbers they would keep that under wraps at this stage.

The one thing I am a little bit surprised at is no plan to say ride a couple of stages of the Tour De Romandie to get used to riding in a big group again and readjust to the sensations of navigating the crowded road and grabbing bottles etc to release some tension ahead of the Giro.
 
Feb 1, 2020
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I'm glad his training is going well, but I didn't feel too optimistic at some of things they said i.e. "he's a long way from his best form", "don't expect miracles" and "maybe he can have a decent Giro and help out"... not exactly in those words.
On another subject, I hope Paris-Roubaix can be raced cause I heard Paris is going into lockdown for a month.