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

[Rackham]

I think people should look forward to next season as well & "assume" Remco Evenepoel has some potential for 1 day races in the future.

Imho there was never a realistic scenario where Remco would have won this race. Time trial specialists don't win mens WC in normal situations. He is small sized tt specialist atm until built into more balanced - complett. I kinda see him like another Campenaerts with lighter frame and tad bigger engine.

I could see him following the small group chasing Alaphilippe if he'd kept his legs fresh. And then he'd have to drill it hard to chase him down.

All guesswork of course but there's no denying Remco Evenepoel had some legs today & they were tactically misused by his team.

 

[Bonimenier]

Imho there was never a realistic scenario where Remco would have won this race. Time trial specialists don't win mens WC in normal situations. He is small sized tt specialist atm until built into more balanced - complett. I kinda see him like another Campenaerts with lighter frame and tad bigger engine.

I wouldn't consider Remco a TT specialist. He's no Ganna, Dennis, Campenaerts in the past,... whose main and only focus is on TTs. Someone who's solely a TT specialist doesn't win most of the 1 week stage races he participates in, even when there is no TT and doesn't win several one day races.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Imho there was never a realistic scenario where Remco would have won this race. Time trial specialists don't win mens WC in normal situations. He is small sized tt specialist atm until built into more balanced - complett. I kinda see him like another Campenaerts with lighter frame and tad bigger engine.

In hindsight, he was never going to win, but he could have been the only one to go to the line with Alaphilippe. If Evenepoel is a TT specialist, then so is Van Aert. I think Cancellara was a TT specialist as well, it didn't stop him from winning RVV and PR among other 1 day races.

And while Campenaerts has surprised me this year, comparing Remco to him as being a somewhat improved version is either a troll attempt or a joke.

 

[Volderke]

He rode himself into dust, but how much did he really help the group he was leading?
I saw a lot of riders on his wheel trying to go back in the group and away of that wind-catching 2nd position. Only Bagioli was more-or-less comfortable riding in Remco's minidraft.

 

[Mayomaniac]

His stock only rises after this performance. He has proven that he's willing to work for a team captain and that he will follow orders.

 

[memyselfandI]

In hindsight, he was never going to win, but he could have been the only one to go to the line with Alaphilippe. If Evenepoel is a TT specialist, then so is Van Aert. I think Cancellara was a TT specialist as well, it didn't stop him from winning RVV and PR among other 1 day races.

And while Campenaerts has surprised me this year, comparing Remco to him as being a somewhat improved version is either a troll attempt or a joke.

No trolling no joke. Actually I was thinking Cancellara too, but only time will tell. But Alaphilippe was way more explosive today than Colbrelli in EC and so I think Remco did not have a slightest chance to go with him like two man escape to the line.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

His stock only rises after this performance. He has proven that he's willing to work for a team captain and that he will follow orders.

Now let's hope he never does it again

 

[Red Rick]

His stock only rises after this performance. He has proven that he's willing to work for a team captain and that he will follow orders.

While I commend his efforts today I think following team orders is a bit of a low bar to pass. It would've sunk his stock a lot if he hadn't IMO.

The worrying thing is Vantourenhout acting as if they were tactically perfect.

 

[peterfin]

He rode himself into dust, but how much did he really help the group he was leading?
I saw a lot of riders on his wheel trying to go back in the group and away of that wind-catching 2nd position. Only Bagioli was more-or-less comfortable riding in Remco's minidraft.

Indeed. Bagioli kept the wheel but couldn't even finish the race. Meanwhile WVA was catching wind behind the little Italian. WVA said his legs were not great but I am pretty sure he spend too much time in the wind at a fast pace. The group got a 2 min lead due to Remco's effort but in the mean time WVA and many others were basically cooked. My conclusion: don't let Remco set the pace unless you want to wore out everybody behind him.

 

[Bonimenier]

The worrying thing is Vantourenhout acting as if they were tactically perfect.

Exactly. He probably feels as if he's doing a great job as national coach because Belgium pretty much always finishes on the podium since he is there. That has more to do with some extraordinary talents that Belgium currently has than with his tactical brilliance.

 

[red_flanders]

No trolling no joke. Actually I was thinking Cancellara too, but only time will tell. But Alaphilippe was way more explosive today than Colbrelli in EC and so I think Remco did not have a slightest chance to go with him like two man escape to the line.

Agreed but this maybe assumes everything else plays out in a similar way as it did. Remco with a free hand could have been a very different tactical situation.

He’s done his penance for the critics. Next time hopefully they go into the race with two very dangerous cards to play.

 

[Valanga]

He's probably even the worst domestique to have on a track like this.

You know absolutely nothing about cycling young man. He was brilliant and did everything he was asked to do.
In hindsight, they probably should have used him in a different way, but that's not his fault.

His stock only rises after this performance. He has proven that he's willing to work for a team captain and that he will follow orders.

Exactly. It's the second WCRR he participates in, and it's the second time he empties himself completely for someone else.
If there is ever any doubt whether Evenepoel is prepared to work for someone else, let them see yesterday's race.
This will only help him the next years, when he will be (co-)leader.

 

[SafeBet]

Showed immense strength, endurance, panache and commitment to the team.
Hopefully this is the last time his talent is wasted in such an important race.

 

[Volderke]

Showed immense strength, endurance, panache and commitment to the team.
Hopefully this is the last time his talent is wasted in such an important race.

I feel it's exactly that: an investment to shut down all future attempts to push him into a '2nd captain / helper' role in any world's race.
At best, he could have done a podium here (I don't think he could have won, but who knows, if he saved himself until the final parcours?), but in future WC races, he will always be the team leader for every parcours that's more hilly than this one.

 

[Jagartrott]

https://www.reddit.com/r/peloton/comments/pvv36o/_/heedbpi

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/peloton/comments/pvv36o/results_thread_2021_uci_road_world_championship/heedbpi/?utm_term=37875962502&context=3&utm_medium=comment_embed&utm_source=embed&utm_name=null


JustOneMoreBastard

· 11h · edited 10h


Remco has put his ride on Strava, I'm using the Strava Sauce extension to pull out the NP data
Between 48kms in and 239kms in (192kms) he averaged 283w and had a NP of 343 for that period, at a listed weight of 62kgs thats 4.56w/kg, and 5.53 respectively for 4 hours and 13 minutes. during the first lap of the Flandrien Circuit he had a NP of 386w (6.17w/kg) for 43 minutes, and inside that there is even a half hour period with a NP of 437w (though I suspect that the attacks in there are pushing the limitations of the NP model which they can do, but still its nuts).
If you want to see how much Remco did in the group take a look at this section from the 2nd Flandrein circuit and on the way back to Leuven 310w (5w/kg) Average Power, 349w (5.62w/kg) NP for 51 minutes after 4.5 hours of racing. You can tell when Remco is the one pulling because his power is flat (like this section in particular), and during that 51 minute section his watts are basically metronomic save a few short periods meaning that's a full gas 50 minute pull up until 25kms to go on the front. To put that in perspective during Remco's pull Valgren averaged 296w (4.1w/kg) naturally much less becasue he had the luxury of sitting on. The real kicker though is Valgren's final lap and a bit chasing Alaphilippe was 28 minutes at 358w (5w/kg) at a normalised power of 429w (5.9w/kg), which is the same average w/kg as Remco, and only >.3w/kg more than Remco's Normalized w/kg that he held for 20 minutes longer.
In short Remco rode his ass off all day, what a champ.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I feel it's exactly that: an investment to shut down all future attempts to push him into a '2nd captain / helper' role in any world's race.
At best, he could have done a podium here (I don't think he could have won, but who knows, if he saved himself until the final parcours?), but in future WC races, he will always be the team leader for every parcours that's more hilly than this one.

Like next year! Oh, wait that's again one for Van Aert.

It didn't have to be more hilly, they should just have let him do his thing. Had it not worked out, it would still have been in favor of Van Aert in case Wout had the legs.

 

[Leggitte]

Remco has to be careful not to fall out with the whole peleton. So often I see him in a break away angry shouting and cursing at the other riders because they do not any work. No matter how good he is, he still needs other riders too. He is not making himself very popular with his antics. Not trying to bash a rider here, he is a talent which I have not seen since Bernard Hinault. I do think he still is a tad arrogant, and this will work against him if he is not careful.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I liked Lefevere's sarcastic reply to a journo that the Belgians made Evenepoel race for Alaphilippe by making the race hard. He's exactly right. Remco was basically the best dom of an otherwise already vastly superior French squad. The French and Remco were killing it.

Vanthourenhout apparently had a sit-down with Lefevere after the Olympics. Looks like the coach took al the wrong lessons from the Tokyo road race.

IMO Evenepoel gets along even much better with Alaphilippe than he does with WVA, so I don't think he's too unhappy with the outcome. Obviously they're much closer as teammates. Proving the critics wrong, playing right into your sponsor team's hands and helping one of your favorite teammates get the win. lol. All in all a great day for Evenepoel (and Lefevere).

 

[Red Rick]

Like next year! Oh, wait that's again one for Van Aert.

It didn't have to be more hilly, they should just have let him do his thing. Had it not worked out, it would still have been in favor of Van Aert in case Wout had the legs.

That's if Van Aert is still Belgiums #1 sprinter next year.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That's if Van Aert is still Belgiums #1 sprinter next year.

Well, it's not going to be Evenepoel, that's for sure

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

That's if Van Aert is still Belgiums #1 sprinter next year.

The politics of that one is going to be interesting to watch. Will Van Aert declare himself team leader over the Alpecin guys a month beforehand?
It’ll probably end up as another wasted effort for Remco and Tim.

 

[steffr222]

The politics of that one is going to be interesting to watch. Will Van Aert declare himself team leader over the Alpecin guys a month beforehand?
It’ll probably end up as another wasted effort for Remco and Tim.

Don‘t forget Jasper Philipsen..

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Don‘t forget Jasper Philipsen..

Sorry I wasn’t clear. Merlier and Phillipsen were counted as the Alpecin guys. The Tim I referred to was Declerque who’d have to put in another wasteful dom shift with Remco.

 

[steffr222]

Sorry I wasn’t clear. Merlier and Phillipsen were counted as the Alpecin guys. The Tim I referred to was Declerque who’d have to put in another wasteful dom shift with Remco.

oh right, I didn‘t get that right then, yeah I‘m totally with you

 

[hayneplane]

His stock only rises after this performance. He has proven that he's willing to work for a team captain and that he will follow orders.

Indeed but it also shows how badly they screwed up pre-race by setting a narrative that effectively forced him to fully sacrifice himself to 'prove' his loyalty to the team goal. at the expense of using his strength at wiser points in the race.