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

[ciranda]

Second stage is kind of easy, but there is a 28 km climb at almost 5%

wait what

 

[Extinction]

Remco won LBL in Vandenbroucke style… Very impressive win, yesterday.

It was apparently the fastest edition of LBL, ever.

2021: Pogacar, 259.1 kms, 4352 vertical meters, average 38.9 kms/hr.

2022: Evenepoel, 257.2 kms, 4342 vertical meters, average 41.4 kms/hr.

Remco was 2.5 kms/hr faster than Pogi was in 2021!…

This is not surprising as Nibali said the pace was relentless from start to finish.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Should be an interesting clash with Tobias Johanneson the current winner of L’Avenir in the latters home race

Johanneson is actually older than Evenepoel, Skjelmose, Van Wilder, Arensman... He pretty much followed the example of his countryman Foss: take the big U23 win in your final year against b-tier opposition and guys 3 years younger than you, because all the others have already turned pro by then. I'd wait a bit before expecting a clash.

Fantastic and deserved win for Remco, which by now has as many Monument wins as his colleagues JA and WvA. It was possibly gifted in some ways, but that should not take away any merit from it. He attacked when it best suited him, and he fought it all the way to the finish line in impressive form. We can all wonder what would have happened if WvA hadn't had Covid, if Poga was there if the big crash hadn't happened, but hats off to the young Belgian.

Also, we've discussed his race schedule, training and weight ad eternum, but his good results in Itzulia and now the win in LBL vindicates his and QS's decisions. He also showed that he can time his performances, as I don't think that his quiet LFW was accidental, but rather a lay low performance in order to guarantee the best legs possible for the bigger race.

For ToN and TdS I hope that he approaches them in a conservative manner, before the summer and Vuelta - if he wants to go for GC he needs to look at the next races only as a build up to it.

Gifted in some ways? Ok, i'll play. Last year's winner of San Sebastian was in his wheel. Now, i won't argue that Powless is of the caliber of Pogacar or Van der Poel, but he wasn't even able to stay in his wheel for 20 seconds. As you can see on the footage, immediately after the attack, the group responded. Sure, there was a 15 meter gap, but as soon as they saw he had attacked, they went all out. Fuglsang knows Evenepoel from Poland 2020 and went all out trying to bridge. He got to Powless' wheel, but by that time Evenepoel had gone. Right behind Fuglsang the Bahrain train had already formed and they were racing. Van Aert in a post-race interview said the pace was relentless. Now it turns out it was the fastest edition in a long time while the final had been raced into a headwind. By the time they reached Roche aux Faucons, one of the pre-race favorites, Mohoric, a patented hilly expert and rouleur (and according to some, a better version of Evenepoel), was out for the count. The other favorites in the meanwhile were saving their energy since they were riding 20km into a headwind. Nobody wanted to go earlier because they couldn't. Nobody bridged to Evenepoel because they couldn't. On Roche aux Faucons we had all out efforts by Vlasov, Teuns and someone else, i forget who. They did this on the 2nd part of the climb because they knew they would not be able to sustain that effort all the way up. Van Aert, Fuglsang, Powless, Mas (i think it was)... all got dropped, which goes to show the other guys weren't messing around. They reduced the gap to around 23s (the GPS was always 5s down on real time), a group of 3 riders had formed so they had all the incentive in the world to keep riding. Then the others managed to get back and the chase stalled as soon as even Van Aert got back. By that time Vlasov had attacked and he didn't get an inch closer, in fact as soon as he attacked he kept losing time to Evenepoel.

So apart from 2 short instances where the chase stalled briefly, which is nothing but normal race dynamics, i find it hard to see how this was gifted. The guy attacked into a headwind with 30k to go, solo. The other rivals waited as long as they could saving energy by having teammates do the job for them. As soon as they did put their cards on the table, they managed to take 16s out of his 39s lead (handclocked at the bridge before Roche aux Faucons), and one of the pre-race favorites had by that time gone overboard due to having done much of the work in the chase. Another pre-race favorite right after RaF attacked and did nothing but lose time.

 

[Extinction]

Woods's comment on Evenepoel's performance pretty much sums it up.

 

[KenFiamingo]

Poels won in 2016, Remco in 2022.

MVDP+Remco=Wout Poels, because:

van der POEL + EvenePOEL = 2 POELs

Omg, you really had me do the math!

 

[hayneplane]

Johanneson is actually older than Evenepoel, Skjelmose, Van Wilder, Arensman... He pretty much followed the example of his countryman Foss: take the big U23 win in your final year against b-tier opposition and guys 3 years younger than you, because all the others have already turned pro by then. I'd wait a bit before expecting a clash.

I don’t doubt that and think Remco has more talent and a vastly higher ceiling than Johanneson. I know you will also agree with the point that L’Avenir will no longer be as strong a reference point whilst riders are skipping it despite still having 4 years of eligibility to ride it. I was impressed by his climbing and do think his pro career will be more successful than Foss who has already outperformed my expectations with that 9th in the Giro.

The other thing to note in seeing it as a clash is the difference between priorities like Remco/Ion Izagirre in Itzulia where it was an absolutely key season goal for 1 rider and a prep race for the other rider. The absolute peak levels are different but being at different stages of their form peaks will act as a balancing force.

 

[red_flanders]

Fantastic and deserved win for Remco, which by now has as many Monument wins as his colleagues JA and WvA. It was possibly gifted in some ways, but that should not take away any merit from it. He attacked when it best suited him, and he fought it all the way to the finish line in impressive form. We can all wonder what would have happened if WvA hadn't had Covid, if Poga was there if the big crash hadn't happened, but hats off to the young Belgian.

Also, we've discussed his race schedule, training and weight ad eternum, but his good results in Itzulia and now the win in LBL vindicates his and QS's decisions. He also showed that he can time his performances, as I don't think that his quiet LFW was accidental, but rather a lay low performance in order to guarantee the best legs possible for the bigger race.

For ToN and TdS I hope that he approaches them in a conservative manner, before the summer and Vuelta - if he wants to go for GC he needs to look at the next races only as a build up to it.

Don't see how one can both say it was "gifted" and "that should not take away from it". That does take away from it.

It was a fantastic attack and a phenomenal win. Full stop.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don’t doubt that and think Remco has more talent and a vastly higher ceiling than Johanneson. I know you will also agree with the point that L’Avenir will no longer be as strong a reference point whilst riders are skipping it despite still having 4 years of eligibility to ride it. I was impressed by his climbing and do think his pro career will be more successful than Foss who has already outperformed my expectations with that 9th in the Giro.

The other thing to note in seeing it as a clash is the difference between priorities like Remco/Ion Izagirre in Itzulia where it was an absolutely key season goal for 1 rider and a prep race for the other rider. The absolute peak levels are different but being at different stages of their form peaks will act as a balancing force.

It's difficult to compare him to Foss or guess who has the higher ceiling. It does seem that Johanneson is more punchy than Foss. Whether that means he will be able to do better than a 9th place in a GT is a different matter. I do think he will be in the running for more wins than Foss. I'm not saying either can't turn into world class riders, though for Foss i very much doubt that and for Johanneson we simply haven't seen enough of him to make that call. One could turn into a regular lower end top 10 GT finisher, while the other might turn into a hilly classics rider.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

wait what

Funny stage or what?
I was sllightly mistaken, only 4,4% not %5.

 

[Bonimenier]

Funny stage or what?
I was sllightly mistaken, only 4,4% not %5.

I've seen better color schemes for stage profiles.

 

[spalco]

Haha, I just watched LBL (couldn't watch yesterday, and managed to stay un-spoiled) - wtf? Finally a sign of life from Remco, fantastic!

What an awesome win!

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Haha, I just watched LBL (couldn't watch yesterday, and managed to stay un-spoiled) - wtf? Finally a sign of life from Remco, fantastic!

What an awesome win!

Yeah but don't go into the race thread as there's all kinds of excuses why it wasn't that a big deal, lol.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah but don't go into the race thread as there's all kinds of excuses why it wasn't that a big deal, lol.

Wait till the 15 page essay on motopacing comes in.

 

[spalco]

Yeah but don't go into the race thread as there's all kinds of excuses why it wasn't that a big deal, lol.

I think it's a huge deal.

Maybe Remco will never win a GT, who knows, but this victory alone already vindicates him, and shows he's for real.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Funny stage or what?
I was sllightly mistaken, only 4,4% not %5.

To be fair, this stage would be perfect for a Remco trademark attack!
Make the team drill the first half and the false flat midway in climb to blow peloton to pieces. Then Remco attack in shallow gradients before the KOM sprint and he just TT the last 45km to finish!
Shame it's the day before the queen stage, so not gonna happen.

 

[Big Doopie]

I think it's a huge deal.

Maybe Remco will never win a GT, who knows, but this victory alone already vindicates him, and shows he's for real.

i agree.

1+ years ago i posted that he may just end up one of the greatest winners of LBL and Lombardy. got a lot of forum pushback at the time. shocker, i know.

i believe these two races fit him to a T more than any other.

and, yes, that is despite his contretemps last Lombardy.

without the crash, i actually think he would have Lombardy in his palmares (making him an even younger monument winner than he is now).

and had his progression not be thwarted, he may have already created some havoc at last year's LBL, who knows.

this isn't to say that he will win multiple versions of these races (considering the competition from riders like Pog), but that he may ultimately be best suited for those two races.

then again, those two monuments are the ones most won by GT riders, so...

the debate will never end.

;-)

 

[peterfin]

I somehow hope that with Julian out, Remco will replace him in the TdF. I know the Vuelta may be better for his progress as a GT rider but even seeing him just stage hunting in the TdF would be so much fun.

 

[Red Rick]

I think his greatest achievement is being simultaneously the most explosivee and least explosive rider in the world.

 

[hayneplane]

Funny stage or what?
I was sllightly mistaken, only 4,4% not %5.

Looks like one of those classic Tour of California stage designs that Sagan used to win whilst still half asleep that were packed full of elevation gain but had no real opportunity for a true selection so only the flat sprinters were dropped.

 

[Ricco']

Poels won in 2016, Remco in 2022.

MVDP+Remco=Wout Poels, because:

van der POEL + EvenePOEL = 2 POELs

Can't wait for Van der Evene to turn pro, if the guy is worth 2 Poels.

 

[Andre]

Fantastic and deserved win for Remco, which by now has as many Monument wins as his colleagues JA and WvA. It was possibly gifted in some ways, but that should not take away any merit from it. He attacked when it best suited him, and he fought it all the way to the finish line in impressive form. We can all wonder what would have happened if WvA hadn't had Covid, if Poga was there if the big crash hadn't happened, but hats off to the young Belgian.

Also, we've discussed his race schedule, training and weight ad eternum, but his good results in Itzulia and now the win in LBL vindicates his and QS's decisions. He also showed that he can time his performances, as I don't think that his quiet LFW was accidental, but rather a lay low performance in order to guarantee the best legs possible for the bigger race.

For ToN and TdS I hope that he approaches them in a conservative manner, before the summer and Vuelta - if he wants to go for GC he needs to look at the next races only as a build up to it.

Tadej would have got dusted just like everyone else.

 

[Big Doopie]

Tadej would have got dusted just like everyone else.

nah, nah.

but had he been "dusted", as you say, the same forumites would point to his FW and say: "ah, well, he was not in shape."

you see:

Pog only loses when he is not in top shape.
WvA finishes only on the podium in PR and LBL because he was still recovering from Covid.
VdP only loses because he is not in top shape.
Ala only loses when not in top shape (pretty much the entire spring according to most here).
Rog only loses because he has a twinge behind his knee.

remco the usurper (unworthy of being named in the same breath as the aforementioned) only wins when he is in top shape and everyone else is not.

remco the usurper (unworthy of being named in the same breath as the aforementioned) also loses when he is in absolute top shape because everyone who beats him is better than him.

as long as we all agree on the above there will never be a need to argue ever again.

;-)

 

[GuntherL1]

There will be an additional 'Extra Time Koers' on the Flemish TV with special guest Remco Evenepoel.
I guess the attention after LBL wasn't enough.
I'm beginning to think the guy will never learn.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

There will be an additional 'Extra Time Koers' on the Flemish TV with special guest Remco Evenepoel.
I guess the attention after LBL wasn't enough.
I'm beginning to think the guy will never learn.

Ok. While i agree he should try and stay away from the media more, bitching that he gets invited to a cycling talkshow after his biggest win (which happens to be the biggest win of any Belgian rider of the past 5 years) is beyond ridiculous.

 

[hayneplane]

Ok. While i agree he should try and stay away from the media more, bitching that he gets invited to a cycling talkshow after his biggest win (which happens to be the biggest win of any Belgian rider of the past 5 years) is beyond ridiculous.

Big fan too but what makes this a bigger win than Wouts MSR or Gilbert winning Paris Roubaix which were both in the last 5 years.