the apparent freshness that he rode in the last 70 kms was really quite stunning.
@Logic-is-your-friend is correct to point out that he appears to be particularly resistant in the longer races. Remco said before the race that things would be affected by the length, people would get tired, and that his sprinting weakness would not necessarily come into play. too bad GTs have shortened all their stage distances.
Lutsenko said that after 200 kms he had gone into reserves and that he just exploded.
Remco appears to simply be able to continue to push out high power for longer than most anyone.
In the early part of the race, Remco apparently told Lampaert that his legs were as good as LBL, perhaps even better.
i do find it interesting the logic pretzels the detractors are constantly twisting themselves into requires so many things to go wrong for so many other riders. while the simpler explanation is the one that just says Remco was better. if you listen to all the riders, this appears to be their explanation as well.
my guess is that so many people here have a really hard time saying they have always been wrong about Remco and his potential. but they are in good company: Adam Blythe, Brian Smith, Daniel Friebe, Brian Nyborg have all demonstrated this trait. Brian Nyborg actually said that he couldn't pinpoint it, but there was "just something" about Remco that he did not like. Unreal. Daniel Friebe said that maybe it was because he has always seemed pre-ordained for greatness and has had no challenges...Seriously? He has a career-threatening crash at age 20 that holds him out a year and clearly delayed his progress, but apparently he has had no challenges.
Thing is i actually love this stuff, because in so many ways he continues to be an underdog. everyone seems absolutely positive he will be easily dropped by Vingo and Pog in the TDF. Perhaps, but it sounds a lot like what all the detractors said about everything else that he then just proved them wrong. Brian Smith did not even include him in the 6 favorites he had for the day. All these detractors also appear to feed his motivation. The finger on the lips sign he gave at the finish. keep fueling him, folks. i absolute love these solo attacks and victories. it harkens me back to a cycling that was full of exploits, unlike recent times.
the real (and frightening) question is whether from San Sebastian until now is just one heightened period of form for Remco or is it actually possibly his new "baseline"? this is in a sense where he would have been had there been no Lombardia crash...