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

[Extinction]

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

Fair enough, but can you explain why?

 

[Extinction]

Of course, if the planning doesn't work, as in if he reaches a peak now that can't be sustained or improved in July, then it doesn't happen.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I don't think last minute change of plans makes sense. He may be in great form now but can he maintain it? Has he prepared himself enough for a 3-week race?
With peak Tadej and Primoz around and possible shortcomings in GT preparations the Tour could turn into another unpleasant GT experience.
It's better to prepare optimally for the planned race (Vuelta) and have a good chance to do the real damage there.

 

[Extinction]

I don't think last minute change of plans makes sense. He may be in great form now but can he maintain it? Has he prepared himself enough for a 3-week race?
With peak Tadej and Primoz around and possible shortcomings in GT preparations the Tour could turn into another unpleasant GT experience.
It's better to prepare optimally for the planned race (Vuelta) and have a good chance to do the real damage there.

All perfectly valid points.

 

[jflemaire]

There's no way he is riding the Tour this year. Not everyone is obsessing over the Tour and Remco said himself that the Vuelta is his favorite race. Also, the Tour is a notoriously hectic race and I'm not sure Remco is ready yet. Although for someone with reputedly low bike handling skills he's doing pretty good this season.

 

[Extinction]

There's no way he is riding the Tour this year. Not everyone is obsessing over the Tour and Remco said himself that the Vuelta is his favorite race. Also, the Tour is a hectic race and it's not sure Remco is ready yet. Although for someone with reputedly low bike handling skills he's doing pretty good this season.

I know, but how can he say that before having raced it? I suppose time will tell, but there are few tt kms and will the explosive type of climbs best suit his qualities?

 

[jflemaire]

I know, but how can he say that before having raced it?

Maybe he's watched it on the telly?

 

[Extinction]

Maybe he's watched it on the telly?

Well, so have I, but that doesn't tell me much about what it's actually like to race it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I know, but how can he say that before having raced it? I suppose time will tell, but there are few tt kms and will the explosive type of climbs best suit his qualities?

I remember he's stated just liking to ride in Spain. He's won San Sebastian, he's won Burgos, he had a good result in Itzulia and finished ahead of Vingegaard and Roglic there. He had also claimed Liège was his favorite monument as a junior, before having raced it.

 

[Extinction]

I remember he's stated just liking to ride in Spain. He's won San Sebastian, he's won Burgos, he had a good result in Itzulia and finished ahead of Vingegaard and Roglic there. He had also claimed Liège was his favorite monument as a junior, before having raced it.

Thanks, perfect explanation.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I remember he's stated just liking to ride in Spain. He's won San Sebastian, he's won Burgos, he had a good result in Itzulia and finished ahead of Vingegaard and Roglic there. He had also claimed Liège was his favorite monument as a junior, before having raced it.

Cheers.
Where does he live or train?
I seem to remember a story about him thinking of living in Monaco but then decided against it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Cheers.
Where does he live or train?
I seem to remember a story about him thinking of living in Monaco but then decided against it.

He still lives with his parents as far as i know, in Schepdaal (training in BP/RVV territory). But he has trained a lot in the Ardennes in the past but now he often goes to Calpe. If you check his Strava, you can see where he trains.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Cheers.
Where does he live or train?
I seem to remember a story about him thinking of living in Monaco but then decided against it.

As logic said you can follow his strava and see where he trains. He lives in Belgium. Often does big training blocks in the Calpe area of Spain where many pros train in the winter. He did 1 altitude camp in Tenerife between Tirreno and Basque Country.

Most training in Belgium is done at home in flanders, just west of Brussels, but occasionally he goes to the ardennes

 

[Red Rick]

Say what you will but loving the Vuelta most should be a grievous sin to even the most ardent fans

 

[witeken]

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

Disagree. Many riders do TdS/Dauphine build-up to TdF. If he wins tdS then he is on track to TdF just as much as (if not more than) anyone else.

He has been training, losing weight and racing the whole season. If he isn't ready for a GT now, then he will never be.

If there exists a better plan, then it would be stupid not to change the plan.

 

[hayneplane]

To be fair with the wide open roads and less street furniture the majority of the time and also the heat meaning the peloton take more semi rest days allowing breaks to go for 10 minutes the Vuelta is arguably the least stressful GT in terms of positioning and crashes. With his still relative inexperience within the bunch I can se why all that appeals.

 

[Extinction]

To be fair with the wide open roads and less street furniture the majority of the time and also the heat meaning the peloton take more semi rest days allowing breaks to go for 10 minutes the Vuelta is arguably the least stressful GT in terms of positioning and crashes. With his still relative inexperience within the bunch I can se why all that appeals.

This is why I say go in for a baptism of fire IF, which remains to be scene, his form is really high. I mean he will have to face the Tour and Tadej eventually, the longer he is kept away, the more brutal it will be the first time. I'm thinking of Hinault, of Fignon, of Lemond. He should ride the Tour as his (almost) first Grand Tour experience. It will serve him better than the Vuelta!

 

[Big Doopie]

...the longer he is kept away, the more brutal it will be the first time.

disagree with this completely. giro was too brutal specifically because it was stupid to enter that without the proper prep. y would u want to simply replicate that experience again, further damaging his confidence. also, he is still learning to pace himself on climbs, etc. and his bike handling and descending appear to be improving.

I'm thinking of Hinault, of Fignon, of Lemond. He should ride the Tour as his (almost) first Grand Tour experience. It will serve him better than the Vuelta!

not sure what is meant here. both hinault and fignon's first GT was not the TDF. and both lemond and hinault specifically waited until they were at least 23+ to compete in their first TDF. Fignon only did so a bit earlier because he was slated to support hinault who was then out due to his knee injury.

no. stay the course. give remco a full season of building. right now it has already turned into a successful season. it has the potential to continue to develop into an extraordinary season (particularly for a 22 year old) if he does well here, in spain and then in the one-day races at the end of the year. he would then target his first TDF, with all the proper prep next year.

i get the sense that the "need" for him to compete this year is perhaps a fan's impatience (which I share), while not being good for Remco's development (basically the mistake that was made last year).

 

[Red Rick]

Disagree. Many riders do TdS/Dauphine build-up to TdF. If he wins tdS then he is on track to TdF just as much as (if not more than) anyone else.

He has been training, losing weight and racing the whole season. If he isn't ready for a GT now, then he will never be.

If there exists a better plan, then it would be stupid not to change the plan.

Thats not how periodization works.

 

[Extinction]

disagree with this completely. giro was too brutal specifically because it was stupid to enter that without the proper prep. y would u want to simply replicate that experience again, further damaging his confidence. also, he is still learning to pace himself on climbs, etc. and his bike handling and descending appear to be improving.



not sure what is meant here. both hinault and fignon's first GT was not the TDF. and both lemond and hinault specifically waited until they were at least 23+ to compete in their first TDF. Fignon only did so a bit earlier because he was slated to support hinault who was then out due to his knee injury.

no. stay the course. give remco a full season of building. right now it has already turned into a successful season. it has the potential to continue to develop into an extraordinary season (particularly for a 22 year old) if he does well here, in spain and then in the one-day races at the end of the year. he would then target his first TDF, with all the proper prep next year.

i get the sense that the "need" for him to compete this year is perhaps a fan's impatience (which I share), while not being good for Remco's development (basically the mistake that was made last year).

I agree with most of your assessment, but sometimes fortune favors the bold! I'm aware Fignon was put in an exceptional position at 22, because of Hinault's knee injury, but then he won the 83 Tour! And then in 84 he was arguably the most dominant Tour winner in modern cycling history. Mind you, I'm not saying Remco should equal Fignon (that's already been done by Pogacar), but only that his team need not overly worry about sending him to the Tour if his form is good enough. As Pogacar and even Bernal have done.

Any comparison with last year is a moot point, from the moment he was coming back from serious injury and woefully unprapared to tackle the Giro. I mean he didn't even race once before the start. Sheer folly! This year is completely different, however, and if he is strong enough then the Tour should not damage his development, but enhance it! Otherwise he's not the talent he has been made out to be. But I don't believe it.

 

[Sciatic]

Thats not how periodization works.

So true, and I would think more folks here would understand that.

 

[Extinction]

So true, and I would think more folks here would understand that.

We do, but just don't know what was calculated in his specific case. Only he and his trainers do.

 

[Sciatic]

We do, but just don't know what was calculated in his specific case. Only he and his trainers do.

That’s true as well, but I think we (I) extrapolate from a rider’s larger season goals (one rider with Le Tour as primary objective, another with Vuelta/Worlds as primary objective) and understand where they are likely to be in their training buildup. But yeah, we can’t know for sure unless we see their training logs or talk to their DS.

 

[Nick2413]

Tr

So true, and I would think more folks here would understand that.

True but that’s also like saying it’s a no-no for Roglic and Vingegaard to win the Dauphine. Periodization is indeed important but if someone is dominating 3 weeks out from the Tour that’s not some sort of kiss of death.

 

[Sciatic]

Tr

True but that’s also like saying it’s a no-no for Roglic and Vingegaard to win the Dauphine. Periodization is indeed important but if someone is dominating 3 weeks out from the Tour that’s not some sort of kiss of death.

Hmmn, maybe we’re on different trains of thought here. The issue isn’t the winning or not. The issue is a rider being at their absolute best in the Dauphine or Suisse but not being able to hold that form until the 3rd week of the Tour, when race is often decided. I assume Roglic, for instance, was able to win the Dauphine without being at 100%.