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

Page 326 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

Should we change the thread title?


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Remco best GT result: DNF
Fausto best gt result: 9th (whilst working as a gregario)

Remco best monument result: 19th
Fausto best monument result: 2nd

Remco descending: weak
Fausto descending: very strong

Fausto age: 28
Remco age: 22

Fausto UCI ranking: 39
Remco UCI ranking: 9

Fausto # of GT's participated: 4
Remco # of GT's participated: 1

Fausto age at first GT: 24
Remco age at first GT: 21

Fausto total stage race wins: 0
Remco stage race wins: 8

Fausto WT wins: 0
Remco WT wins: 1

Fausto WC medals: 0
Remco WC medals: 3

Team who pays them and knows everything about their relative performance and potential: "Remco"

Fausto vs Remco head to head: Destruction.
View: https://youtu.be/uBvuY7XHFIc?t=84


I like Masnada. But come on. This is an easy one.
 
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Fausto age: 28
Remco age: 22

Fausto UCI ranking: 39
Remco UCI ranking: 9

Fausto # of GT's participated: 4
Remco # of GT's participated: 1

Fausto age at first GT: 24
Remco age at first GT: 21

Fausto total stage race wins: 0
Remco stage race wins: 8

Fausto WT wins: 0
Remco WT wins: 1

Fausto WC medals: 0
Remco WC medals: 3

Remco only has 2 WC medals, but he has 3 WT wins. He also has 3 EC medals.
 
He's not a troll. He means that, every word!
It's true! And it's one of the things I love about this forum: the super fans (we need a better word). Over the years I've enjoyed the color commentary we get from folks like La Florecita about Contador, ACF for Evans, Koronin for Valverde, Tonton for Pinot, Logic and others for Evenpoel, The Bag carriers for Nibali, Libertine for Sepp, and recently IImaestro for Masada, and many others. It's very entertaining and connecting. To the extent that when of those riders does something spectacular and we don't see any posts from their super fan, everyone wonders where they are. Yeah, it also leads to some blockheaded arguments (apologies to Butterfly Effect) but so what? It's fun.
 
Am I misunderstanding your post or do you suggest that Pogacar can be dropped because the climb is easier and therefore “suits Remco” more? That does not make a whole lot of sense

The shallower the gradient the more it suits to a guy like Remco - excellent TT-ist with great pedigree on rolling terrain. It's simple physics: on shallow gradients aerodynamics becomes more important than climbing skills.
 
The shallower the gradient the more it suits to a guy like Remco - excellent TT-ist with great pedigree on rolling terrain. It's simple physics: on shallow gradients aerodynamics becomes more important than climbing skills.

So the chances of Remco getting dropped by Pogacar decrease from 95% to 50% because of the lower gradients. And the chances of Remco dropping Pogacar increase from 1% to 5%. ;)
 
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Even better. Thought he had two gold WC medals as a junior in the TT and Road Race and a silver in the pros in the TT.
I wasn't talking about juniors. In that case he'd have 4. Double junior gold + silver ITT 2019, bronze ITT 2021 at the pros.
He'd also have two extra EC gold medals if you count the juniors.

I am not buying the Masnada is gonna work for Van Wilder thing.
Shush!
 
Fausto age: 28
Remco age: 22

Fausto UCI ranking: 39
Remco UCI ranking: 9

Fausto # of GT's participated: 4
Remco # of GT's participated: 1

Fausto age at first GT: 24
Remco age at first GT: 21

Fausto total stage race wins: 0
Remco stage race wins: 8

Fausto WT wins: 0
Remco WT wins: 1

Fausto WC medals: 0
Remco WC medals: 3

Team who pays them and knows everything about their relative performance and potential: "Remco"

Fausto vs Remco head to head: Destruction.
View: https://youtu.be/uBvuY7XHFIc?t=84


I like Masnada. But come on. This is an easy one.

Pleaaaaase don't feed the troll.
He usually goes away if you just stop feeding him :(
 
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The shallower the gradient the more it suits to a guy like Remco - excellent TT-ist with great pedigree on rolling terrain. It's simple physics: on shallow gradients aerodynamics becomes more important than climbing skills.
Sure, but on shallower gradients it’s also easier to follow a wheel and way harder to create separation. The only way I ever see Remco drop Pogacar is if the latter looks the other way and lets Remco open up a gap, but I dont take Pogacar for a fool.
 
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I read Tom Steels interview but I dont buy Quick Step narrative.

Reading between the lines of this interview:

1. Evenepoel underperformed at last years WC ITT due to:
  • Missing a normal winter
  • Being back from heavy injury
  • Suffering from chronic back pain caused by this injury
  • A flat route favoring heavy guys like Ganna and Van Aert
2. Evenepoel underperformed during Algarve ITT due to:
  • Not being used to his brand new bike
  • Riding in a race suit not being as aero as the one used by the team
  • Being cautious on the last third of the race since he knew the race was won (mostly downhill)
  • Having difficulty finding his rythm during the first third of the race (mostly flat)
  • Being at "85%" (dixit Steels) of his peak form targeted for Liege in 2 months (versus Kung who should already peak for the cobble classics)
Thank you Quick step for letting us know that these 2 monstruous performances were both done in suboptimal conditions. They never learn from their mistakes. Now if Evenepoel doesn't win the next ITTs with an even big margin they'll have to find other excuses.
I didn't read the same between the lines according pount 2. Evenepoel did perform very strong. Even by not taking risks in the descents and curves. Of course he was used to his brand new bike. He did a lot of training using this bike as he practiced his new position. And other contenders, for instance Kung, also stated after the race that they had to find their rhythm in the beginning. That's the classic and predictable reaction of top riders and their team after a good race. Satisfied, but it could have been even better.

I have not read anywhere that he is now only at 85% of his potential. Not between the rules and not outside of it.
What I read is that he did ride the best time trial ever. Of course, his goals are later. I think he's at 98% now. He will also lower his weight slightly for the Vuelta. With all the pros and cons.

You don't respond to the fact that Steels stated that the back problems were a major reason for the changed seating position. Reading "between the lines" : the back problems are still there. Those minor back problems don't seem to hinder him in time trials anymore, but I think they do when climbing. That's what you see on the TV screen, and that's the big difference with 2020.
 
Am I misunderstanding your post or do you suggest that Pogacar can be dropped because the climb is easier and therefore “suits Remco” more? That does not make a whole lot of sense
It could. If Evenepoel uses his tactics as he did as a young rider. Follow his gut feeling and attack from far enough on hilly terrain. On hilly terrain he can make the difference. Not on real climbs.
It's not about Pogacar not being able to follow that attack on hilly terrain. But does he want to, quite far from the finish ? Give Evenepoel more than a minute, then Pogacars team and himself won't close it anymore. That's why I hope that Evenepoel really rides on his instincts. Attacking from afar... and probably losing and not riding a classification. But what a spectacle with a small chance of success. If Evenepoel cycles defensively, he is also beaten. But then he might end up in the top 5 or top 10. But Evenepoel doesn't have to come to the Tirreno for that.
 
Fausto age: 28
Remco age: 22

Fausto UCI ranking: 39
Remco UCI ranking: 9

Fausto # of GT's participated: 4
Remco # of GT's participated: 1

Fausto age at first GT: 24
Remco age at first GT: 21

Fausto total stage race wins: 0
Remco stage race wins: 8

Fausto WT wins: 0
Remco WT wins: 1

Fausto WC medals: 0
Remco WC medals: 3

Team who pays them and knows everything about their relative performance and potential: "Remco"

Fausto vs Remco head to head: Destruction.
View: https://youtu.be/uBvuY7XHFIc?t=84


I like Masnada. But come on. This is an easy one.
Fausto has WT win, he won a beautiful stage of the Giro into San Giovanni Rotondo.
 
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