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

[Bolder]

I didn't mean the driving skills at all . But the chance that he will mentally block because he is riding on gravel.

He did a long gravel event in the US last autumn. He wasn’t racing it hard, of course, but it was 130 km or so…he’ll be fine.

 

[Blanco]

I doubt that. He was actually quite good in that Giro stage that Bernal won finishing uphill on gravel. Positioning at the start was the main issue.

He was good in gravel stage?! Are there more than one stage with gravel in that Giro, cause in the one I watched he was disaster!

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

He was good in gravel stage?! Are there more than one stage with gravel in that Giro, cause in the one I watched he was disaster!

Yes.
Stage 9 finished with like 2 km on gravel, just as Bonimenier said.
Given the stage today is also with gravel upphill, then I think the pretty good performance upphill on gravel at stage 9 in the Giro is more relevant than his bad performance on the big gravel stage.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He was good in gravel stage?! Are there more than one stage with gravel in that Giro, cause in the one I watched he was disaster!

He probably did the second fastest gravel section behind Bernal, yes. He had to come from too far back:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irFH0KmImq0

 

[Bonimenier]

He was good in gravel stage?! Are there more than one stage with gravel in that Giro, cause in the one I watched he was disaster!

Quite. Yes.

 

[Boes]

He probably did the second fastest gravel section behind Bernal, yes. He had to come from too far back:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irFH0KmImq0

Fantastic race but what a weird stage from Evenepoel. Coming from almost being dropped/reverse attacking to probably being the 2nd strongest rider in the last 500 meter.

 

[Volderke]

Fantastic race but what a weird stage from Evenepoel. Coming from almost being dropped/reserve attacking to probably being the 2nd strongest rider in the last 500 meter.

Remco said there was some kind of hiccup in the tunnel with a rider in front of him touching / clipping wheels so he was set back a bit coming out of the tunnel, and because Moscon set a very high pace, there wasn’t time anymore to move up in the group.

 

[Boes]

Well that would explain it

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

I haven't heard anything about his CX training nor about his descending which were scheduled to improve his bikehandling. He was supposed to get some training from Cal Crutchlow, but from the lines he was riding yesterday, i think he got lessons from a drunken farmer instead. I've been riding a motorbike my entire adult life (since my 19th) and going into a corner at high speed where you can't see where it's going, can be stressful so it's important (not to use the phrase "imperative", lol) that you remind yourself of the basics that you learned. And honestly, it's not rocket science so i'm a bit surprised that i can't see it when i'm watching him take his corners. Slow down before cornering. Outside-inside-outside. Keep focus on the farthest point of the bend. Accelerate as you see the end of the bend.

Has anybody heard/read anything about him having done some training? Even if it only gave him peace of mind, it would be worth it.

What I wrote before. In the few sharp bends in the descent, he didn't seem comfortable and didn't ride the best lines. That worries me. It seems clear to me that he has not practiced on technical descents this winter. That will play tricks on him for the rest of his career, and especially in the grand tours. When under pressure (both when he would be in the attack or in the defense).

 

[Blame it on the Boogie]

What I wrote before. In the few sharp bends in the descent, he didn't seem comfortable and didn't ride the best lines. That worries me. It seems clear to me that he has not practiced on technical descents this winter. That will play tricks on him for the rest of his career, and especially in the grand tours. When under pressure (both when he would be in the attack or in the defense).

Based on one descent of the very first race of his season lol
Were there even (clear) images and specifically focusing on the lines that Remco rode?

I expect a Remco win today.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Based on one descent of the very first race of his season lol
Were there even (clear) images and specifically focusing on the lines that Remco rode?

I expect a Remco win today.

Yes, there were "clear" images of the not ideal lines of Evenepoel.

 

[houtdffan]

Remco is not that good on the super steep climbs

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Very disappointing performance today, but it’s the first race of the season so performance variations could be understandable.

 

[Netserk]

On the climbs, with his stature, style and strengths, I think he resembles Richie Porte. Huge power, and world class on some climbs, but not in the mould of the lightweight grimpeurs that excel on the steepest climbs and with many changes in rhythm.

I don't really think the gravel made much of a difference today, and I think he had the right approach with how he rode the climb, it was just too irregular and steep for him, plus of course it also comes down to day-to-day variance and what kind of training he has focused on.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Not good for the Vuelta probably better for the TDF. Have to hold judgement till he actually does the GC for a GT. he might be better for one day races.

 

[F_Cance]

Remco is not that good on the super steep climbs

not just the steep ones but also the longer ones

 

[Wvv]

It's February and Remco is clearly carrying some extra weight. I expected a bit more because of stage 1, but I don't mind this result at all.
Did someone mention yet he just celebrated his 22nd birthday?
No need for big conclusions.

 

[Jspear]

Did he run out of gears? He seemed labored in the finale.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Dropped by Fuglsang

 

[Bolder]

It's February and Remco is clearly carrying some extra weight. I expected a bit more because of stage 1, but I don't mind this result at all.
Did someone mention yet he just celebrated his 22nd birthday?
No need for big conclusions.

I agree, but I do think he came out targeting this race after a winter of, in theory, injury-free training. But that was one nasty climb, in a relatively minor race, after he bossed everyone in Stage 1.

 

[Salvarani]

Remcos chances to be a GT-rider... he actually needs to ride them with proper preparation for us to draw a conclusion.

I have always believed he would be a better one-day racer and one-week stage racer, than be a rider that is gonna be winning multiple GTs. Too early to know for sure though. He is still young and could develop/improve still.

He will surely be one of the best riders around for years to come and we have seen what he can do when he has a great day.

 

[Jspear]

Dropped by Fuglsang

That's not so bad. Fuglsang can do well in these steep gravel finishes. Might as well say "dropped by Bilbao."

 

[Netserk]

Dropped by Fuglsang

Meh, he clearly rode in order to win the GC, not to safeguard against going over his limits.

 

[Lefebre]

No big worries...
This is just the first races!
Our Wonderboy isn't in the best shape,he wil cut some weight and when it matter he will win it all.

 

[Andre]

Can he still make up the seconds to Vlasov in the next 2 stages?