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

[Extinction]

Lol still using the injury to excuse any underperformance to initial expectations

Well let's hope you don't break your pelvis (nasty that, as with vertebrae, of which unfortunately I know something about) and then have to come back to the TOP of elite cycling, after only being in the sport for like 3 years at 20.

As I see it or he has massive potential for growth, which considering his trajectory is feasable, or he ONLY remains a hilly classics/week-long stage race force.

 

[Big Doopie]

Hardly a laughing matter but I suppose you expect Bernal to at least podium at TdF 2023 as he'll have no excuses?

Why not TDF 2022?

Why did Lemond wait two years to come back from being shot? He should have jumped on his bike out of the hospital and beaten Roche in 1987! What an absolute loser with no talent. (And btw, Lemond was NEVER the same despite winning two more TDFs and a WC)

Again the double-standard. Any other rider (Pog, Rog, Ala, VDP or WvA included) racing without prep after a 9 month recovery would never be expected to be at their top ability. But Remco of course is forever judged on his comeback race.

Btw Remco has scored the 4th amount of points since his first race back.

That is extraordinary for a 21-22 year old no matter what.

It is mind-boggling when you realize what he was coming back from.

Personally, as a cycling fan, I am just thrilled that we may yet see Remco’s full potential. Whether that means competing for GTs or not I do not care. But epic rides like Sunday (like VDP’s amazing Amstel comeback), as a cycling fan, I can never get enough of.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Not sure of their source but CN are reporting Remco has been given co-leadership at the Worlds.

 

[Big Doopie]

Not sure of their source but CN are reporting Remco has been given co-leadership at the Worlds.

a year late (to help Belgium and WvA). but oh well.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Lol still using the injury to excuse any underperformance to initial expectations

And I disagree, I think the argument at this point is absolutely a laughing matter

While he may be at his former level, maybe even a notch above already, it is still roughly an entire season that he lost in development. He wasn't a formed and full grown, well rounded athlete before his crash. That means a year of lost experiences (tactics, energy management, bike handling...) at the very least, especially considering he lacked a lot of those experiences, getting into cycling late, riding solo in the juniors and skipping the U23s. Only now that he appears to be fully back to his old level (physically), can he possibly further progress beyond his former level, as he would have, had he not crashed.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Couldn't he have been back earlier if he hadn't have gone out training before he was ready, delaying his recovery? Was that down to his team or him being too eager to get back on the bike?

 

[Extinction]

Couldn't he have been back earlier if he hadn't have gone out training before he was ready, delaying his recovery? Was that down to his team or him being too eager to get back on the bike?

Perhaps, but not having him race before the Giro was crazy, if only to get back into the swing of things.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Couldn't he have been back earlier if he hadn't have gone out training before he was ready, delaying his recovery? Was that down to his team or him being too eager to get back on the bike?

Yes. They allowed him to go training on his own in Spain. He didn't tell the doctors he had a lof of pain, because he thought it was normal. By the time they found out, the situation was worse than before and he had to stay off the bike for another month. So instead of being able to start training slowly in October, by rushing he was only able to start training slowly in february again. That meant his entire winter was ruined and there was no way to get the needed training before the Giro. That was the second mistake in retrospect (as a result of the first mistake). Sending him to the Giro while he was not ready.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Yes. They allowed him to go training on his own in Spain. He didn't tell the doctors he had a lof of pain, because he thought it was normal. By the time they found out, the situation was worse than before and he had to stay off the bike for another month. So instead of being able to start training slowly in October, by rushing he was only able to start training slowly in february again. That meant his entire winter was ruined and there was no way to get the needed training before the Giro. That was the second mistake in retrospect (as a result of the first mistake). Sending him to the Giro while he was not ready.

Thanks, it seems an age away all that happened.

 

[red_flanders]

Not sure of their source but CN are reporting Remco has been given co-leadership at the Worlds.

Well that makes a ton more sense tactically than telling everyone you're only going to work for one rider. Teuns could potentially be given freedom as well I'd think. Seems a far more dangerous squad not knowing exactly what they're doing to do.

 

[Extinction]

Well that makes a ton more sense tactically than telling everyone you're only going to work for one rider. Teuns could potentially be given freedom as well I'd think. Seems a far more dangerous squad not knowing exactly what they're doing to do.

Yea, Belgium's biggest challenge will be in managing them properly, as each will have independent ambitions. I suppose the final word comes down to the condition of each post-Vuelta, which, since they moved it to late summer in 95, has been the natural springboard for those with Worlds ambitions.

 

[red_flanders]

Yea, Belgium's biggest challenge will be in managing them properly, as each will have independent ambitions. I suppose the final word comes down to the condition of each post-Vuelta, which, since they moved it to late summer in 95, has been the natural springboard for those with Worlds ambitions.

The nice thing is that the riders have such disparate qualities that they should be able to have a tactical plan that works really well for the team. Remco to attack early, Wout and Teuns to sit on and follow, and those two to take turns attacking should it come back together. I mean seems obvious, they could have done that this year but didn't have the confidence in Remco I guess. Never really understand the "let's announce to the world our plan is totally constrained" approach.

 

[Andre]

who is Belgium's new manager for the World's?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

who is Belgium's new manager for the World's?

Same as last year. Van Aert

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

who is Belgium's new manager for the World's?

Hopefully Lefevere

Seriously though, if the team is packed with Quickstep riders, a certain someone will probably moan,

 

[Extinction]

The nice thing is that the riders have such disparate qualities that they should be able to have a tactical plan that works really well for the team. Remco to attack early, Wout and Teuns to sit on and follow, and those two to take turns attacking should it come back together. I mean seems obvious, they could have done that this year but didn't have the confidence in Remco I guess. Never really understand the "let's announce to the world our plan is totally constrained" approach.

Agreed, I'd just leave the final word for who is in the best condition regarding who moves how and when. At any rate, it seems Quick-Step is playing the long game: win a monument, win the Worlds and then start really focusing on GT classification.

 

[Netserk]

Why not TDF 2022?

Why did Lemond wait two years to come back from being shot? He should have jumped on his bike out of the hospital and beaten Roche in 1987! What an absolute loser with no talent. (And btw, Lemond was NEVER the same despite winning two more TDFs and a WC)

Again the double-standard. Any other rider (Pog, Rog, Ala, VDP or WvA included) racing without prep after a 9 month recovery would never be expected to be at their top ability. But Remco of course is forever judged on his comeback race.

Btw Remco has scored the 4th amount of points since his first race back.

That is extraordinary for a 21-22 year old no matter what.

It is mind-boggling when you realize what he was coming back from.

Personally, as a cycling fan, I am just thrilled that we may yet see Remco’s full potential. Whether that means competing for GTs or not I do not care. But epic rides like Sunday (like VDP’s amazing Amstel comeback), as a cycling fan, I can never get enough of.

Wout had such a comeback.

 

[Extinction]

Wout had such a comeback.

Not quite

 

[Flurk1982]

Lol still using the injury to excuse any underperformance to initial expectations

Maybe the future will tell that the crashes and injuries of Bernal and Evenepoel have stalled their development significantly and therefore has boosted the palmares of Pog.

 

[Red Rick]

Maybe the future will tell that the crashes and injuries of Bernal and Evenepoel have stalled their development significantly and therefore has boosted the palmares of Pog.

Evenepoel has been back at the level he had before his crash for a while lol.

 

[Ripper]

m

Same as last year. Van Aert

Let's hope it is not the actual manager from last year!

 

[Extinction]

Maybe the future will tell that the crashes and injuries of Bernal and Evenepoel have stalled their development significantly and therefore has boosted the palmares of Pog.

Bernal was at the top, before being dethroned by Pogacar. Evenepoel was never at the top.

 

[Extinction]

Evenepoel has been back at the level he had before his crash for a while lol.

Not if you think in terms of inertia with development, instead of having everything come to an unforeseen grinding halt. From here on out only talent speaks.

 

[red_flanders]

Evenepoel has been back at the level he had before his crash for a while lol.

Personally I don’t think we’ve seen him at his previous level until LBL. He looked imperious in Lombardia before the crash and had been so for some weeks. To my eye he’s just gotten back to that level.

 

[GuntherL1]

It was good to see that QuickStep sent Lodewyck as Evenepoels chaperone in Extra Time Koers. Better safe than sorry.