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

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It's amazing how lucid he rides. He has time to move around, look around and check his opponents. I assume he was expecting more action today to test him so he took the time to look everyone in the eyes. When he eventually decides to start pacing nobody attacks him, not even close to the line just to annoy him. Either they are on their limit or they know they won't gain anything. His recuperation after the race is also amazing.

I hope his injury is not serious and he is spared from disaster the coming days because I really really want to see him complete these 3 weeks. After 12 days there is no indication that he is on a downward curve. Prior to the start, some of us believed that he peaked too early but at least until now there is no indication of it. Even if his form drops a bit, I doubt it will be worse relative to the others. Also, the idea that he is one of those special guys that can compete for 2 weeks but lacks the stamina for 3 is beyond me. He looks more a type that can keep going on for longer as he suffers less while pacing.
 
It's amazing how lucid he rides. He has time to move around, look around and check his opponents. I assume he was expecting more action today to test him so he took the time to look everyone in the eyes. When he eventually decides to start pacing nobody attacks him, not even close to the line just to annoy him. Either they are on their limit or they know they won't gain anything. His recuperation after the race is also amazing.

I hope his injury is not serious and he is spared from disaster the coming days because I really really want to see him complete these 3 weeks. After 12 days there is no indication that he is on a downward curve. Prior to the start, some of us believed that he peaked too early but at least until now there is no indication of it. Even if his form drops a bit, I doubt it will be worse relative to the others. Also, the idea that he is one of those special guys that can compete for 2 weeks but lacks the stamina for 3 is beyond me. He looks more a type that can keep going on for longer as he suffers less while pacing.
I have the impression that he even becomes stronger during this Race, i could be wrong but i have that impression.
 
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After 12 days there is no indication that he is on a downward curve. Prior to the start, some of us believed that he peaked too early but at least until now there is no indication of it. Even if his form drops a bit, I doubt it will be worse relative to the others. Also, the idea that he is one of those special guys that can compete for 2 weeks but lacks the stamina for 3 is beyond me. He looks more a type that can keep going on for longer as he suffers less while pacing.
Best placing in a GT after 12 days that Spilak ever had, was 53rd.

Jokes aside, Evenepoel has a very high base level. Even when he is completely off form, he still doesn't lose much time. So it's very much possible that you would not even notice a slight downward curve.
 
Until now he's in a league of his own... Only a top, top Roglic could compete with him. I'm starting to believe that he will endure until the last stage, maybe with a not so stellar form but good enough to be on pair with rest of the best. I still wait for that Sierra Nevada stage, but only because it's on altitude... If he does it there we´ll have a blast of a future TDF with the likes of him, Poga and Vinge :hearteyes:

PS I'm also like his attitude towards the press and the competitors atm, he also grown in that matter
 
I love the way Remco goes in front of his main competitors and just squeezes the life out of them. When in fact they can follow his wheel, they just have nothing left in the tank to even try to attack him. They just grimace in pain and hang on...well sometimes they hang on, mostly they drop back at a lower pace.
 
One on one i think roglic still has more power in the finish unless he's completely empty. Remco has improved drastically in that scenario, but roglic might still be the best in the world in that.

Yeah, I don't think Remco is ever going to be the type of rider to win a sprint up the Mur de Huy for example. A sprint after a mountain stage where he has more left in the tank than the rest, sure. But he's no Roglic/Pogacar/Alaphilippe when it comes to explosiveness
 
Since you can stay in the Vuelta if you have covid, i have the best tactic for Evenepoel to win this Vuelta:

1/ announce in the press you have covid (even if you don't), but will continue anyway
2/ whenever Mas and Roglic start wheelsucking or refuse to take a turn, start coughing profusely
3/ while attacking, repeat that procedure
 
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Since you can stay in the Vuelta if you have covid, i have the best tactic for Evenepoel to win this Vuelta:

1/ announce in the press you have covid (even if you don't), but will continue anyway
2/ whenever Mas and Roglic start wheelsucking or refuse to take a turn, start coughing profusely
3/ while attacking, repeat that procedure
modification to 3/: maybe start coughing before you attack. You might get some knob to begin a leadout for you thinking "this is when I drop Remco on TV!"
 
I love the way Remco goes in front of his main competitors and just squeezes the life out of them. When in fact they can follow his wheel, they just have nothing left in the tank to even try to attack him. They just grimace in pain and hang on...well sometimes they hang on, mostly they drop back at a lower pace.
I like seeing that as well—it a pleasure to see the red (or yellow or pink) jersey at the front of the GC group on climbs rather than as the caboose in a mountain train. But I suppose that’s in part because of how weak his team is for climbers.
 
Since you can stay in the Vuelta if you have covid, i have the best tactic for Evenepoel to win this Vuelta:

1/ announce in the press you have covid (even if you don't), but will continue anyway
2/ whenever Mas and Roglic start wheelsucking or refuse to take a turn, start coughing profusely
3/ while attacking, repeat that procedure

Remco says he will stay away from Ayuso due to COVID almost hoping the Spaniard will withdraw. Some hilarious scenes are possible on the weekend's MTFs.