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

[houtdffan]

I think he rode an exemplary first two weeks during the Giro. He certainly didn't lose time due to mental weakness or not being attentive. If it weren't for his technical inability to ride on gravel, he would have been only seconds behind Bernal at the start of the Zoncolan stage.

and he likely does not lose 90 seconds on Zoncolon if he didn't have to waste energy after being dropped on the descent of the first major climb. He was nearly a minute down at the end of the first descent.

HIs positioning cost him that giro, not his overall level. He ended up going kablammo by wasting energy

 

[Andre]

I think Remco would have won 2 stages in this year's Tour

 

[Boes]

I think Remco would have won 2 stages in this year's Tour

2 stages so far, right?

 

[spalco]

and he likely does not lose 90 seconds on Zoncolon if he didn't have to waste energy after being dropped on the descent of the first major climb. He was nearly a minute down at the end of the first descent.

HIs positioning cost him that giro, not his overall level. He ended up going kablammo by wasting energy

I disagree. Positioning and tactical awareness is not his problem. If you are the strongest man in the race and feel like a million dollars it's not that difficult to ride on the front day after day and attack in the right spots.

Certainly, Remco didn't help himself on some stages in that Giro, but I don't think toughness - mental or physical - was the issue, he seems plenty able to torture himself on the bike; and his many successful attacks show he knows what's going on in a race too. I think his failure (and it was a failure regardless of the circumstances) in the Giro was all due to inadequate preparation and form.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe I misunderstood?

I think so, yeah. The discussion started by that question on RAI, but we were discussing whether he was ''mentally tough'' enough (stay at the front, be vigilant and attentive etc) to ride 3 weeks for GC. considering he hasn't ridden for 3 weeks, that remains to be seen but he has shown he can do it for 2 weeks (Giro) so far. It is just one of many conditions that needs to be met to become a GT contender, it's not the key to beat Pogacar as you seem to think we were saying.

 

[Andre]

2 stages so far, right?

Yes...I forgot that part. I would say 3 cause there is also that 47 kilometer contre la montre

 

[KenFiamingo]

I think Remco would have won 2 stages in this year's Tour

Impossible to say but it would have been great him being in that crazy breakaway of Van Aert.

 

[Breh]

Serry, Evenepoel, Van Wilder, Vansevenant, Alaphilippe, Devenyns, Cerny and Il Magnifico are in Livigno.

Would be a pretty cool team for the Vuelta but I suppose they'll have to fit in Cavendish and a small sprinttrain aswell.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Don't know if they're gonna be taking Vansevenant to his second GT in the same year already, especially since he didn't exactly set the world ablaze in the Giro. Not sure they're gonna be taking Cavendish either. That seems like overkill, considering they already want to go for GC with Evenepoel and i assume stages with Alaphilippe. To go for sprints with Cav as well seems a bit much. It would also make little sense considering next year's sponsors have come out and flat out said they want to start building a GC team.

I'd take Evenepoel, Alaphilippe, Van Wilder, Masnada, Devenyns, Vervaeke, Cerny & Cavagna.

Serry first reserve.

That seems like a well balanced team that can help both Evenepoel and Alaphilippe, and it makes sense considering none of them have done a GT so far this year.

 

[Andre]

sorry....who is Il Magnifico ? Also I had hoped they would reinforce Remco more instead of trying to add Cavendish.

 

[Big Doopie]

Don't know if they're gonna be taking Vansevenant to his second GT in the same year already, especially since he didn't exactly set the world ablaze in the Giro. Not sure they're gonna be taking Cavendish either. That seems like overkill, considering they already want to go for GC with Evenepoel and i assume stages with Alaphilippe. To go for sprints with Cav as well seems a bit much. It would also make little sense considering next year's sponsors have come out and flat out said they want to start building a GC team.

I'd take Evenepoel, Alaphilippe, Van Wilder, Masnada, Devenyns, Vervaeke, Cerny & Cavagna.

Serry first reserve.

That seems like a well balanced team that can help both Evenepoel and Alaphilippe, and it makes sense considering none of them have done a GT so far this year.

i would like lampaert and cattaneo in there just for the TTT.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

i would like lampaert and cattaneo in there just for the TTT.

I don't think that's necessary. These are actually 8 very good TT'ers. Even Masnada, Devenyns and Vervaeke, who are probably the weakest links, are capable of a decent TT. You would be swapping out much needed mountain support. Alaphilippe, Evenepoel, Cavagna have all won WT TT's. Van Wilder and Cerny have top 5's and with a better bike, Van Wilder could have won the 2021 Dauphiné and Romandie TT's.

sorry....who is Il Magnifico ? Also I had hoped they would reinforce Remco more instead of trying to add Cavendish.

Masnada

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Bad news. Chances of both Roglic and Pogacar going to the Vuelta with a vengeance have drastically increased as of an hour ago.

 

[Big Doopie]

Bad news. Chances of both Roglic and Pogacar going to the Vuelta with a vengeance have drastically increased as of an hour ago.

sure.

however, watching today i actually fear remco would have been as relevant today as pidcock had he been riding.

 

[houtdffan]

sure.

however, watching today i actually fear remco would have been as relevant today as pidcock had he been riding.

nah. He'd be better than Pidcock.

Pog rode like a bad Remco today. Remco on a good day takes time out of Pog today.

Let's not forget, he did beat Jonas at Pais Vasco

 

[Escarabajo]

There is hope for Remco!

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I'd take Evenepoel, Alaphilippe, Van Wilder, Masnada, Devenyns, Vervaeke, Cerny & Cavagna.

Serry first reserve.

That seems like a well balanced team that can help both Evenepoel and Alaphilippe, and it makes sense considering none of them have done a GT so far this year.

What about Big Tim? I guess Cerny and Cavagna could share that work.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

What about Big Tim? I guess Cerny and Cavagna could share that work.

He's a big engine but not nearly as good a TT'er as Cerny and Cavagna. So worse for the TTT.

 

[Valv.Piti]

This thread will be hype come August if this is anything to go by.

Remco v Rog v Pog sounds amazing. Who else do we have? Mas always performs well, Carapaz should line up, Hindley, Landa, and how about Bernal? Could be a memorable edition.

 

[Andre]

This thread will be hype come August if this is anything to go by.

Remco v Rog v Pog sounds amazing. Who else do we have? Mas always performs well, Carapaz should line up, Hindley, Landa, and how about Bernal? Could be a memorable edition.

I don't think Bernal will be anywhere near on form and condition.

 

[Big Doopie]

nah. He'd be better than Pidcock.

Pog rode like a bad Remco today. Remco on a good day takes time out of Pog today.

Let's not forget, he did beat Jonas at Pais Vasco

u see how skinny pog and vingo are -- their chests?

i hope remco rethinks his GT weight, otherwise...

 

[CyclistAbi]

First big stage today and nowhere to be seen. Maybe next year for him.

 

[houtdffan]

u see how skinny pog and vingo are -- their chests?

i hope remco rethinks his GT weight, otherwise...

he should be 60-62kg. Maybe 63-64 if there is a reasonable amount of TTing returning (and by reasonable, I mean 110km of flat ITT)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

First big stage today and nowhere to be seen. Maybe next year for him.

At one point i was expecting him to fly by Pogacar, considering everyone else was.

 

[Netserk]

To put Remco in perspective, when Contador was his age, he was being dropped by 10 minutes in the mountains. Remco is being dropped by 1-2 minutes

When Contador was his age, he had just come back from a greater setback than Remco's (with a longer break from racing too), yet in the first months of his comeback he won Setmana Catalana, was 3rd in Itzulia and 4th in Romandie.