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

[topcat]

I've been told most Irish are drunk though.

Common misconception.
Ireland per capita drinks less than many other countries. When we drink we really make a show of ourselves though.
I'd find it more interesting if Remco went to the Tour and won a stage or two. It might be better for his development to do the Vuelta.
Stage win at tour >> stage win at vuelta. Or are we saying he can win the vuelta?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Common misconception.
Ireland per capita drinks less than many other countries. When we drink we really make a show of ourselves though.
I'd find it more interesting if Remco went to the Tour and won a stage or two. It might be better for his development to do the Vuelta.
Stage win at tour >> stage win at vuelta. Or are we saying he can win the vuelta?

Remco performance in Leiege Bastogne Liege was legendary and massively elevated his status in my eyes. But I don't think anybody thinks he can win the vuelta or the le Tour de france

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Common misconception.
Ireland per capita drinks less than many other countries. When we drink we really make a show of ourselves though.
I'd find it more interesting if Remco went to the Tour and won a stage or two. It might be better for his development to do the Vuelta.
Stage win at tour >> stage win at vuelta. Or are we saying he can win the vuelta?

He doesn't have to win the Vuelta. He could win 3 stages in the Vuelta more easily than he could win one in the Tour. He could get on the podium of the Vuelta and it would be more valuable for his career than a stagewin at the Tour as well. We all know he can win a stage in the Tour, many much lesser riders have won stages in the Tour. I don't think anybody doubts that he is capable of that. The question is whether he can do 3 weeks with mountain climbs. Last year he managed to last 2 weeks in the Giro in unfavourable circumstances. So seeing how far he can go in the Vuelta seems like a solid next step.

 

[topcat]

Remco performance in Leiege Bastogne Liege was legendary and massively elevated his status in my eyes. But I don't think anybody thinks he can win the vuelta or the le Tour de france

Oh there are

He doesn't have to win the Vuelta. He could win 3 stages in the Vuelta more easily than he could win one in the Tour. He could get on the podium of the Vuelta and it would be more valuable for his career than a stagewin at the Tour as well. We all know he can win a stage in the Tour, many much lesser riders have won stages in the Tour. I don't think anybody doubts that he is capable of that. The question is whether he can do 3 weeks with mountain climbs. Last year he managed to last 2 weeks in the Giro in unfavourable circumstances. So seeing how far he can go in the Vuelta seems like a solid next step.

I'd like to see Remco attack Pogacar. We might have to wait a while for that though.

 

[KZD]

Oh there are

I'd like to see Remco attack Pogacar. We might have to wait a while for that though.

Maybe not that long if Pogačar rides the Vuelta.

I understand those who say that the Vuelta is better for Remco this year the problem is that it will probably be one of the strongest fields ever (Roglič, Pogačar, Carapaz, Hindley, Almeida, Mas, etc) and if he goes for GC he risks doing around the same result as he would in the Tour and become too tired for the World Championships.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Oh there are

I'd like to see Remco attack Pogacar. We might have to wait a while for that though.

Of course there are. I'd be surprised if he never wins a GT in his career. Doesn't mean he has to win his first GT he finishes, does it. Ilmaestro seems surprised he won Liège, which speaks volumes about how little he knows of the rider he's been calling the Belgian Spilak for over a year.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I think it was a mistake to not go full gas when he and Fuglsang had a clear gap at the top of the hill. There weren’t many domestiques behind so if he had just put his head down and gone for it I think they would’ve been gone.
But clearly he looked strong, so will be great to follow the next days!

 

[Extinction]

He looked good and seemed like he was saving himself in the end. At one point Fuglslang had a go and I wasn't sure if Remco was just controlling or if he was jabbed hard in the face and momentarily, as if caught off foot, unable to respond (I'm probably reading too much into it though). Well we'll see in the high mountains.

 

[Big Doopie]

he responded to both attacks he had to - Fuglslang and then Vlasov.

Fuglslang he kind of just rode up to and then saw he had separated from the others.

with both he pulled through, but it did not appear that either of them were that willing to join strongly in an effort to distance the rest.

thomas also looked pretty strong bringing the group back.

i think he was wise not to push on as he may have done a while back. not much to be gained.

 

[Red Rick]

He rode up to Fuglsang, looked behind him, saw that Sepp Kuss was there, and then remembered that no attacking was supposed to happen.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Now that Primoz won Dauphine, I hope Remco wins TdS.

I noticed they both have broad upper bodies. Two aggressive bulls on the bike, very nice.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I kind of had the impression he was waiting/looking for Van Wilder after he got to Fuglsang. If he were looking for Martinez and noticed he wasn't there, he would surely have kept going.

 

[Sciatic]

Now that Primoz won Dauphine, I hope Remco wins TdS.

I noticed they both have broad upper bodies. Two aggressive bulls on the bike, very nice.

Having a CheckmyPecs (or whatever their name was) flashback

 

[spalco]

I kind of had the impression he was waiting/looking for Van Wilder after he got to Fuglsang. If he were looking for Martinez and noticed he wasn't there, he would surely have kept going.

I think it was just tactics, Remco didn't want to invest too much on stage 1 without immediate payoff, but he comfortably closed a gap to Fuglsang and again to Vlasov - who both look very strong.

Imo he considered just going off from the front, but the risk wasn't worth it.

 

[Extinction]

Remco should play it conservatively until the high mountains and final day tt, unless he sees an opportunity to put time into his GC rivals. As he will need to be firing on all cylinders for the last 3 stages. This means the parcours is in my oppinion poorly designed. It would have been better for the spectacle to have a major GC stage on day 2 or 3 to then have a really hard weekend. As it is, we may have to wait til stage 6 for real action from the Bigs.

 

[Lequack]

Now that Primoz won Dauphine, I hope Remco wins TdS.

I noticed they both have broad upper bodies. Two aggressive bulls on the bike, very nice.

Sorry, but he already has a bff

 

[SHAD0W93]

Sorry, but he already has a bff

Praying for dear life Vingegaard doesn’t accidentally pull him down.

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

Praying for dear life Vingegaard doesn’t accidentally pull him down.

Accidentally

 

[Bonimenier]

Praying for dear life Vingegaard doesn’t accidentally pull him down.

Probably the most surprising part of the Dauphiné was that these 2 managed to celebrate uphill holding hands without crashing.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Praying for dear life Vingegaard doesn’t accidentally pull him down.

Ski flying in Planica? No problem! Becoming cycling ITT Olympic Champion? No problem!

Riding a bike without hands on the handlebar? Difficult…

 

[Oldermanish]

I've been told most Irish are drunk though.

I'm American Irish and I didn't know that was a constant state for our heritage. I thought it was fighting.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm American Irish and I didn't know that was a constant state for our heritage. I thought it was fighting.

Barfights.

 

[Sandisfan]

I'm American Irish and I didn't know that was a constant state for our heritage. I thought it was fighting.

Barfights.

I have heard that stereotype... know non-drinking Irishmen/women... But I did know an Irishman from Ireland who said it wasn't true that it always rained in Ireland he said usually only twice a week Once for three days the other for Four.

 

[Extinction]

On Remco and the Tour, this is what I think: let's first see how he goes over 2000 meters Fri and Sat and then the tt on Sun. If he is just fair to midland then obviously he shouldn't go, but if he excels, meaning he wins TdS, then it's fair to entertain the possibility of him going on certain conditions. Primarily, what does the rider himself desire and what is his state of mind? I don't think physically there is much difference on the toll it takes on the body between Giro-Tour-Vuelta, as they are all incredibly demanding and arduous. It's rather the mental pressures of the Tour that magnify tenfold the overall stress a rider experiences. So if he and team management can have an honest comversation about his mental state-is he relaxed, does he see it merely as a chance to go in carfree and just have fun testing himself, learn what the Tour is all about, give it his all without pressure for a particular result, etc. then, again, if his form Is stratospheric, why pass up on the opportunity? By contrast, if these criteria are not met, then it's the Vuelta and good night.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

It would be stupid to change the plan even if Remco wins both mountain stages in Swiss.