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

[red_flanders]

I actually would prefer him to focus only on that. Given the correct prep I have way more confidence that he could be world champion than win the Vuelta.

100%. And just think of how it would skewer the haters to have him parading around Europe in that jersey. All. Year. Long.

Delicious.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

100%. And just think of how it would skewer the haters to have him parading around Europe in that jersey. All. Year. Long.

Delicious.

Wearing the jersey all year would be fun, but even the haters by now understand that on any single day he has the potential to beat the opposition, including the ''other freaks''. I don't think even the biggest trolls or haters are willing to bet their house against him in a WCC. However, for 2 to 3 years, we've seen ardent claims of how he would never be able to win a GT. I think him winning the Vuelta would be more delicious and the salt and tears would reach epic proportions, about how the Vuelta is not really a GT, that it is the GT for babies and losers and whatnot.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Wearing the jersey all year would be fun, but even the haters by now understand that on any single day he has the potential to beat the opposition, including the ''other freaks''. I don't think even the biggest trolls or haters are willing to bet their house against him in a WCC. However, for 2 to 3 years, we've seen ardent claims of how he would never be able to win a GT. I think him winning the Vuelta would be more delicious and the salt and tears would reach epic proportions, about how the Vuelta is not really a GT, that it is the GT for babies and losers and whatnot.

Just don't talk before he has at least 2 TdF. Remember, 1 TdF can be a fluke, 2 cannot.

 

[red_flanders]

Wearing the jersey all year would be fun, but even the haters by now understand that on any single day he has the potential to beat the opposition, including the ''other freaks''. I don't think even the biggest trolls or haters are willing to bet their house against him in a WCC. However, for 2 to 3 years, we've seen ardent claims of how he would never be able to win a GT. I think him winning the Vuelta would be more delicious and the salt and tears would reach epic proportions, about how the Vuelta is not really a GT, that it is the GT for babies and losers and whatnot.

Oh, I’m just thinking of how arrogant it’ll make him seem to win and move around the bunch with those stripes on. I’m confident this will be more annoying than winning the GT with the lowest viewership. He is a cocky little f****er. It would be good fun all year.

 

[Red Rick]

Forever in fantasy about avenging imagined slights.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Forever in fantasy about avenging imagined slights.

When your parents were thinking of a name for you, did they ever consider Party Pooper?

 

[Mayomaniac]

The interview with La Gazzetta that came out today was interesting. He says that he mainly focussed on longer climbs during the recent training camp. e climbed the Stelvio for the first time and trained on climbs like Bormio 2000, Albula and the Passo del Foscagno.
The most interesting part to me is that he climbed the Mortirolo from Mazzo 3 times (overall) to focus more on longer efforts on really steep gradients.

 

[Lequack]

The interview with La Gazzetta that came out today was interesting. He says that he mainly focussed on longer climbs during the recent training camp. e climbed the Stelvio for the first time and trained on climbs like Bormio 2000, Albula and the Passo del Foscagno.
The most interesting part to me is that he climbed the Mortirolo from Mazzo 3 times (overall) to focus more on longer efforts on really steep gradients.

That's it, Vuelta is over. Competition doesn't stand a chance.

 

[dutchdescent]

Wearing the jersey all year would be fun, but even the haters by now understand that on any single day he has the potential to beat the opposition, including the ''other freaks''. I don't think even the biggest trolls or haters are willing to bet their house against him in a WCC. However, for 2 to 3 years, we've seen ardent claims of how he would never be able to win a GT. I think him winning the Vuelta would be more delicious and the salt and tears would reach epic proportions, about how the Vuelta is not really a GT, that it is the GT for babies and losers and whatnot.

And yet he will never win a GT, let alone TDF

 

[topcat]

That's it, Vuelta is over. Competition doesn't stand a chance.

The vuelta is in the bag and it's not Remco's bag (great win in the non-classic san sebastien and he's wonderful). 4th place in the giro is about equal to a vuelta win, so the form is there.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Seems some people got upset by this win. Bless them.
Who knows what will happen in the Vuelta but a race with Remco on the startlist is a race worth watching.

 

[Bonimenier]

Wearing the jersey all year would be fun, but even the haters by now understand that on any single day he has the potential to beat the opposition, including the ''other freaks''. I don't think even the biggest trolls or haters are willing to bet their house against him in a WCC. However, for 2 to 3 years, we've seen ardent claims of how he would never be able to win a GT. I think him winning the Vuelta would be more delicious and the salt and tears would reach epic proportions, about how the Vuelta is not really a GT, that it is the GT for babies and losers and whatnot.

To be fair the Vuelta is a Mickey Mouse GT. Just look at the winner of the last 3 editions. That guy has no chance in other GTs.

 

[peterfin]

It's ok to be cautious about his future GT performance because many variables are at play but claiming that he will never win a GT is definitely at odds with his capabilities and mentality. Those who hate him should accept that he will give them more reasons to be angry when he wins (again) than joy when he falters. I think he will climb many walls that people believe he cannot. Remember the claims where people said that his famous solo attacks are doomed to fail in the future because, as everybody start to know him, they will never give him that chance a second time and be on his wheels always? He showed us in LBL, San Sebastian and many other races sofar that apparantly they don't know him yet or they simply don't have an answer because he is stronger than the field in many races. The latter is no surprise for anybody who saw him put many minutes, sometimes 10 minutes, in to his competitors as a junior race after race. It's not a given that he repeats this feat as a pro but it's neither a surprise that he starts to show this capability more often when he matures. There is no reason either that he can never do it during a GT, especially in harsh stages where the teams unravel, offsetting any losses he takes during high mountain stages where his diesel may not match the best climbers. During his worst days in mountain stages he only lost 3-4 minutes max sofar. It's not that he collapses and loses +10 minutes.

 

[Big Doopie]

It's ok to be cautious about his future GT performance because many variables are at play but claiming that he will never win a GT is definitely at odds with his capabilities and mentality. Those who hate him should accept that he will give them more reasons to be angry when he wins (again) than joy when he falters. I think he will climb many walls that people believe he cannot. Remember the claims where people said that his famous solo attacks are doomed to fail in the future because, as everybody start to know him, they will never give him that chance a second time and be on his wheels always? He showed us in LBL, San Sebastian and many other races sofar that apparantly they don't know him yet or they simply don't have an answer because he is stronger than the field in many races. The latter is no surprise for anybody who saw him put many minutes, sometimes 10 minutes, in to his competitors as a junior race after race. It's not a given that he repeats this feat as a pro but it's neither a surprise that he starts to show this capability more often when he matures. There is no reason either that he can never do it during a GT, especially in harsh stages where the teams unravel, offsetting any losses he takes during high mountain stages where his diesel may not match the best climbers. During his worst days in mountain stages he only lost 3-4 minutes max sofar. It's not that he collapses and loses +10 minutes.

A stunningly calm and well-reasoned post. What the hell are you doing in this forum?

;-)

 

[The Hegelian]

Ain't it possible to be super impressed by his San Sebastian victory, but fairly sceptical of his Vuelta chances? I think this the position that is neither love nor hate....

 

[houtdffan]

If he's able to do 7.25 W/KG 44km from the finish, he may be able to go a bit higher for the short and steep MTFs of the early Vuelta stages

Just don't respond to the flyweights, set the diesel and grind everyone into utter dust

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Ain't it possible to be super impressed by his San Sebastian victory, but fairly sceptical of his Vuelta chances? I think this the position that is neither love nor hate....

Of course but there are some saying San Sebastián meant nothing and back in spring, there were even some fools listing reasons why LBL was not impressive

 

[Big Doopie]

Ain't it possible to be super impressed by his San Sebastian victory, but fairly sceptical of his Vuelta chances? I think this the position that is neither love nor hate....

actually, quite a few people here (and many remco fans) are specifically that. for reasons/doubts that they themselves have stated.

the unhelpful thing is when a hater states "he will never win/podium a GT" ever or he will be "dropped like a rock" while giving no reasons for that thinking. And when there is actually no consistent hard evidence that will happen. and to state this with such certainty. having doubts/questions is really the only logical thing to have. stating how things will develop with certainty regarding his GT success is silly and unhelpful.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Ain't it possible to be super impressed by his San Sebastian victory, but fairly sceptical of his Vuelta chances? I think this the position that is neither love nor hate....

Below is a post of 2018. This trolling mentality is what we are talking about. This isn't about having doubts regarding certain things he has yet to prove. Not a lot of even the hardcore fans will deny there are still plenty of things to iron out. Yet there are plenty of others, call them haters, trolls or masochists, who seem to be a lot more emotionally invested. As if his success is a personal offence, or his failure is a personal victory. A failure is proof he will never be able to do x, y or z. A victory on the other hand doesn't prove anything and there is always a next test. And a next. And a next. Until he fails a test, then it's ''Hah! Told you so!''

Will be a good laugh in a couple of years, after his fading into anomynity

 

[The Hegelian]

Yeah, but love and hate is very essence of following a sport. The high of victory and bitterness of defeat do not occur without this. It is not rational in the slightest, so, one should not attempt to apply reason to it.

 

[Wvv]

Just reading another interview in Het Nieuwsblad. The following part will be of interest to a lot of us here.

Yet the leader of Quick-Step–Alpha Vinyl remains remarkably modest, having gauged his ambitions for the Tour of Spain. "Winning a stage and a place in the top ten would be very good," he says. “Anything more, I consider an unexpected bonus. I do expect to be much better than in last year's Giro. My weight back then was low in a forced way. My body only just accepted those sixty kilos. Now I weigh three more. That is still low, but it has no impact on my power. I will also be mentally stronger, partly because of this victory and the confidence it gives me. The team will also be ready. And yes, we have already mapped out a strategy. A good classification is part of that, but if it doesn't work out, then so be it. We will go without a sprinter, which means everything will be focused on the climbing stages. This Vuelta is part of a multi-year planning. Call it a first big test.”

A Basque colleague noted that the winner of the Clasica has always started the following year in the Tour de France except for one rider. That one exception was… Remco Evenepoel. “Ah, is that so”, grinned the winner. “If I can believe Patrick (Lefevere, red), then I will not ride the Tour next year either. Maybe we can change his mind (laughs).”

 

[OlavEH]

Below is a post of 2018. This trolling mentality is what we are talking about. This isn't about having doubts regarding certain things he has yet to prove. Not a lot of even the hardcore fans will deny there are still plenty of things to iron out. Yet there are plenty of others, call them haters, trolls or masochists, who seem to be a lot more emotionally invested.

Emotionally invested certainly applies to both sides. When I made a comment after LBL that could be interpreted as anything else than a standing ovation, there were three or four guys that went straight into attack mode. Even after clarification, one or two of them continued to whine. They clearly knew better than myself exactly what I meant with my comment.

 

[spalco]

That was impressive as ***. Even if Remco does not manage GT success in the end (no shame in that), he's clearly going to be a one-day-race great!

 

[frisenfruitig]

Thing is, even if he "fails" this Vuelta that still doesn't mean he won't succeed in the future. People are so eager to write off a 22 year old for some reason. There are so many examples of GT winners who barely achieved anything at this age.

 

[groogster]

Looking with great expectation for Remco at La Vuelta but to calm things down a bit…
It’s simply not possible to keep his beast form for 6 weeks and I don’t think he can keep up with the best in those high mountain stages but if he does everything will be possible regarding GC.