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

[Big Doopie]

TDS this year is a substantially different deal than when De Costa or Canc or even Ullrich won it. Much much harder.

and I notice that already his rivals will only be using it as a prep race while Remco will be the only one going full out at the top of his form. Funny how that is.

i am sure that if he podiums or even wins the Vuelta there will be a further smogarsborg of reasons y he outperformed his rivals.

you are all correct. He will not be a TDF winner until he wins the TDF.

There is an amazing logic to this way of discussing his potential.

frankly if he never wins a GT, I hardly care. Now at least I am assured of further amazing exploits like LBL and hopefully a Worlds at some point. Just one of his attacks even in a flat secondary race is more exciting than what the entire GC field at the Giro summoned up for our viewing in the high mountains.

 

[Wvv]

After being by far the most generous in pushing the break. he was gapping them when simply taking a pull. GvA in the break unable to do anything now.

Greg suffered a broken shifting mechanism. He could hardly sprint on his 'junior gear', that's why he couldn't respond to Remco's attacks or get a podium spot on the line.

But he felt good in general. Regained some confidence with a decent Boucles de la Mayenne.

 

[Sciatic]

How is suisse a major objective for Remco? his objective is the Vuelta which is further away than the tour.

True, that could be the case. We know it won’t be a major objective for anyone aiming for high GC placement at the Tour. I don’t know how this will fit into Remco’s training buildup for the Giro. I would guess (but can’t know) he would certainly want to do well here and perhaps do some tapering in his training beforehand.

 

[Sciatic]

TDS this year is a substantially different deal than when De Costa or Canc or even Ullrich won it. Much much harder.

and I notice that already his rivals will only be using it as a prep race while Remco will be the only one going full out at the top of his form. Funny how that is.

i am sure that if he podiums or even wins the Vuelta there will be a further smogarsborg of reasons y he outperformed his rivals.

you are all correct. He will not be a TDF winner until he wins the TDF.

There is an amazing logic to this way of discussing his potential.

frankly if he never wins a GT, I hardly care. Now at least I am assured of further amazing exploits like LBL and hopefully a Worlds at some point. Just one of his attacks even in a flat secondary race is more exciting than what the entire GC field at the Giro summoned up for our viewing in the high mountains.

Who are you talking to?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Rui Costa won a few of those and that didn't make him a GT contender. We'll have to wait for the Vuelta.

That's true. And how many of those examples, Rui Costas, Simon Spilaks, etc... were able to pummel their opponents to a pulp, beat a chasing group of favorites into submission, on flat and hilly roads. How many of them won a monument at 22, were silver medalist ITT at 19... On top of winning these smaller stage races?

I'm quite sure most of the examples you 'll be able to find who combined those traits, ended up winning GT's or came close at one point.

Time to realize Evenepoel is not like any of the examples people like to throw around.

 

[red_flanders]

Rui Costa won a few of those and that didn't make him a GT contender. We'll have to wait for the Vuelta.

He can only be predicted as a GT contender when he actually contends in a GT.

That's true. And how many of those examples, Rui Costas, Simon Spilaks, etc... were able to pummel their opponents to a pulp, beat a chasing group of favorites into submission, on flat and hilly roads. How many of them won a monument at 22, were silver medalist ITT at 19... On top of winning these smaller stage races?

I'm quite sure most of the examples you 'll be able to find who combined those traits, ended up winning GT's or came close at one point.

Time to realize Evenepoel is not like any of the examples people like to throw around.

My favorite was Thomas de Gendt.

 

[carolina]

That's true. And how many of those examples, Rui Costas, Simon Spilaks, etc... were able to pummel their opponents to a pulp, beat a chasing group of favorites into submission, on flat and hilly roads. How many of them won a monument at 22, were silver medalist ITT at 19... On top of winning these smaller stage races?

I'm quite sure most of the examples you 'll be able to find who combined those traits, ended up winning GT's or came close at one point.

Time to realize Evenepoel is not like any of the examples people like to throw around.

He's a fantastic cyclist and he'll continue to be fantastic even if he doesn't contest any GT in his career. I won't argue with that, but the hype around him is insane.

These small stage races are nothing like a GT. That's a whole other beast to conquer.

 

[Riek s]

He can only be predicted as a GT contender when he actually contends in a GT.


My favorite was Thomas de Gendt.

and to be fair he stood on the podium, 3rd place in Italia. I consider that contending. (altough in terms of GC it was a one trick pony, but it looked promissing for the future at that point). AS a belgian we really hoped for it.. (Heck we also had that hope for JVDB as well).

 

[Big Doopie]

He's a fantastic cyclist and he'll continue to be fantastic even if he doesn't contest any GT in his career. I won't argue with that, but the hype around him is insane.

These small stage races are nothing like a GT. That's a whole other beast to conquer.

no one is actually arguing that btw.

the reason for the hype is varied. For me, it’s the “old-fashioned” way he goes about racing and competing, always attacking, and I am one who appreciates a dominating TT performance as much as a dominating MTF performance. As I posted elsewhere, there are only three riders who break the super-calculating risk-adverse racing we generally see. Pog and VDP are the other two. And we can all agree that the Tour of Norway is a smallish race. But other than Pog I cannot imagine any other rider being able to do what Remco did even though it was a minor race.

that makes him super exciting to me.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He's a fantastic cyclist and he'll continue to be fantastic even if he doesn't contest any GT in his career. I won't argue with that, but the hype around him is insane.

These small stage races are nothing like a GT. That's a whole other beast to conquer.

That's not the point. The point is that taking Costa as an example why it could not work out is about as relevant as taking Froome as an example why not everybody can become a worldclass sprinter.

Costa and Evenepoel have different profiles and are classes apart. And i say that as someone who rates (rated) Costa.

 

[Andre]

I am more afraid of his team in support. Who can support him in the mountains?

My analysis is the GC races this year so far was that his team is not ready for proper GC support in the mountains.

If only QS still had Uran Uran

 

[Jumbot]

I believe Remco will win Suisse, no one is dropping him there and he'll clean them up in the TT... but the haters will say it's just a preparation race for others and then when(if) he wins Vuelta, they will say that others are fatigued from the Tour... always excuses instead to just enjoy the most exciting, talented and charismatic rider in a long, long time... not to mention he's still only 22! so young

 

[DaLong]

I believe Remco will win Suisse, no one is dropping him there and he'll clean them up in the TT... but the haters will say it's just a preparation race for others and then when(if) he wins Vuelta, they will say that others are fatigued from the Tour... always excuses instead to just enjoy the most exciting, talented and charismatic rider in a long, long time... not to mention he's still only 22! so young

You have a lot of very good points, and I am a Remco fan, but he is anything but charismatic.

 

[Big Doopie]

I believe Remco will win Suisse, no one is dropping him there and he'll clean them up in the TT...

while I hope this will come true, have you looked at the route?

if he shows weakness over 2000 meters he will be in trouble. So, we do not know. But it will be fun watching.

my question is actually whether he will take advantage of stage 1 that suits him very nicely to make a difference on some of the pure climbers…

this is why it is imperative that GTs return to a more balanced approach. The pure climbers would not attack on such a course and if they only have to worry about other pure climbers then they will all just wait for the high mountains and taking a few seconds on each other there. Having GCers with other qualities livens up the race!

 

[red_flanders]

Just looked at the Vuelta parcours. That's a lot of really steep climbing. Good luck to him there, but I don't expect a ton.

 

[Big Doopie]

no

hmm. Velonews reporting it as his 9th win of the season…fwiw.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

You have a lot of very good points, and I am a Remco fan, but he is anything but charismatic.

Maybe not in a ''romantic'' way, but if he weren't charismatic at all, he wouldn't have nearly as many people not being able to stand him i think. Then people simply wouldn't care.

I think his character shines through in his way of riding. Always eager, never holding back, driven, impatient, brazen... those are not the traits of an uncharismatic rider.

 

[Big Doopie]

Maybe not in a ''romantic'' way, but if he weren't charismatic at all, he wouldn't have nearly as many people not being able to stand him i think. Then people simply wouldn't care.

I think his character shines through in his way of riding. Always eager, never holding back, driven, impatient, brazen... those are not the traits of an uncharismatic rider.

he has always reminded me of hinault.

charismatic.

but definitely polarizing.

has what in french one might call "la hargne de la victoire" (I think!). does not translate very well literally as it can definitely have negative connotations, but it was often admired in someone like hinault.

 

[KenFiamingo]

I love it that he continues to prove the naysayers wrong. Granted, he still needs to eat the grand tour pudding, but the way he picked up where he left off in 2020 is very promising. I wrote a blog post about it on kingoftheechelon.com. Let me know what you think of it.

 

[Riek s]

this is why it is imperative that GTs return to a more balanced approach. The pure climbers would not attack on such a course and if they only have to worry about other pure climbers then they will all just wait for the high mountains and taking a few seconds on each other there. Having GCers with other qualities livens up the race!

Yes, they should introduce a 100km TT on a course with known headwind! .

kidding aside, I completely agree. I wouldn't even mind 2 very long ITT. 50km+
At the moment every GT seems to be pocket climber oriented. Maybe they should just have 2 ITT km / MTF climbing km.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

no

It is a official win, of course. I think you are confusing the term kermiskoers "kermesse" race with a criterium. This last one is not a official race, but a showrace of only a few tens of kilometers. Often the winner is known before the start. But a kermiskoers is a normal race, on a local level. Mostly on a flat course. In stead of riding from A to Z, the cyclists ride a number of laps on the same circuit. Gullegem is the most famous of "kermesse" races.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

How is suisse a major objective for Remco? his objective is the Vuelta which is further away than the tour.

Yes, The Tour of Suisse is a major objective for Evenepoel at this time of the year. The Vuelta is his second major objective, later this season.

 

[KZD]

Just looked at the Vuelta parcours. That's a lot of really steep climbing. Good luck to him there, but I don't expect a ton.

I think Les Praeres and Sierra de la Pandera are the only super steep finishes although the first kms of Sierra Nevada are also very steep.

 

[hayneplane]

Maybe not in a ''romantic'' way, but if he weren't charismatic at all, he wouldn't have nearly as many people not being able to stand him i think. Then people simply wouldn't care.

I think his character shines through in his way of riding. Always eager, never holding back, driven, impatient, brazen... those are not the traits of an uncharismatic rider.

Arguably the only riders more charismatic than Remco in recent times are Sagan, MVDP, Contador. De Gendt also worthy of a mention. By charisma I am firstly looking at a swashbuckling attacking way of racing and willingness to go no risk no glory. Personality is a secondary factor for me as someone like Wiggins actually has a god dry sense of humour but his riding style was not overly entertaining.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

You have a lot of very good points, and I am a Remco fan, but he is anything but charismatic.

I think he ticks a lot of boxes on this list.

From the Oxford English Dictionary.

charisma
/kəˈrɪzmə/

1.
compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.
"he has tremendous charisma and stage presence"
Similar:
charm
presence
aura
personality
force of personality
strength of character
individuality
magnetism
drawing power
attractiveness
appeal
allure
pull
magic
spell
mystique
glamour

2.
a divinely conferred power or talent.