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

[Red Rick]

Roubaix is above the WC.

Based on entertainment value, probably. But it's not close to as big in mainstream sports media here I think. It's as if we build up towards De Ronde for months then there's one week of "o wait there's Roubaix too".

 

[DNP-Old]

I have been in contact with people from Netflix and they are interested in making a docu series about this thread.

I merely dumped the Valverde quote in here for trolling purposes and to ensure some more replies, but it's taken quite a turn.

 

[Wvv]

I have been in contact with people from Netflix and they are interested in making a docu series about this thread.

Well. Timothy Chalamet would be perfect to portray me. Or, in purpose of a more exciting, modern and gender balanced story, Emma Mackey could be fitting.

Evan Peters should make a good @Ilmaestro99.

 

[hayneplane]

The 1 week stage races aren't the biggest of their own kind. And neither are the monuments. WC/ORR vs Vuelta maayyybe but that's it.

I assume you're talking mainly about RvV and Paris Roubaix, they have too much variance in my taste, especially Roubaix, and too many fluke winners.

Also, if they're greater than say Giro/Vuelta, then Ronde-Roubaix double would basically be better than Giro/Vuelta double, which has been accomplished once this century.

I would rate the giro/Vuelta double higher than doubling in the cobbled monuments because winning the two grand tours requires managing and reaching 2 form peaks at very different points of the season whereas the RVV/PR double has been done several times as it just needs some luck and 1 week of super form.

 

[Andre]

Why? Because it's more days? Then a 1 week stage race is also above any 1 day race?

I'm on the fence about it btw. I was writing a paragraph on why 1 day races can be more important, but while writing it I felt that I might be wrong.

One could ask oneself if one were a pro cyclist, which would one want to win most. Paris-Roubaix or Vuelta a Burgos? LBL or Tour of Britain?
post script: I'm working on my English

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He did it at Strade Bianche. He did it multiple times in TDF last year

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.

One could ask oneself if one were a pro cyclist, which would one want to win most. Paris-Roubaix or Vuelta a Burgos? LBL or Tour of Britain?
post script: I'm working on my English

I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

 

[Andre]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

What I mean is that I believe the importance of a race is the rider's own preference. I mean a certain rider may have it in his mind that winning a certain one day race is more important to him than winning a Tirreno...or vice versa. He may have a certain race in his heart to win at the expense of another that may or may not be more important.

 

[tobydawq]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

 

[Extinction]

What I mean is that I believe the importance of a race is the rider's own preference. I mean a certain rider may have it in his mind that winning a certain one day race is more important to him than winning a Tirreno...or vice versa. He may have a certain race in his heart to win at the expense of another that may or may not be more important.

It's not just what the rider prefers, that's easy, but what he is capable of in a sport that awards greatest glory to the Tour. Now, work downward from that, with all the calculations and variables, and it's elementary my dear Watson. GTs are higher than monuments, but monuments are higher than the rest of the stage races.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

Nothing wrong with Valverde other than him not having won a major race in ages and the fact that he is my age. Nothing wrong with Asgreen except that Strade's profile is a bit too much climbing for him to be considered a real contender. The heavy hitters simply weren't at the start, or crashed out halfway in that crazy wind crash. By competition, i clearly meant realistic favorites and potential winners.

 

[Blanco]

Roubaix is above the WC.

No, it isn't.

 

[Blanco]

a GT is above any 1 day race

Yes, but the Worlds is very close to Giro and Vuelta

 

[Berniece]

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

Field was severely lacking. Every rider that made the race the year before wasn't there.

But that's honestly always my feeling with Pogacar. If everyone (Alaphilippe, WVA, MVP) is at 100% he won't finish solo. He might still win the sprint but he won't be able to ride away.

 

[Andy schleck]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

And so what? There wasn't also competition at the vuelta for remco. Pogacar and vingegaard weren't there. He beat the all mighty Mas.

 

[Bolder]

Field was severely lacking. Every rider that made the race the year before wasn't there.

But that's honestly always my feeling with Pogacar. If everyone (Alaphilippe, WVA, MVP) is at 100% he won't finish solo. He might still win the sprint but he won't be able to ride away.

Yeah, but there's never a race in which "everyone" is there or at 100 percent.

 

[Berniece]

Yeah, but there's never a race in which "everyone" is there or at 100 percent.

Very true, but you just need to compare Strade 2021 with 2022 to know that it was much easier in 2022. I don't think Pogacar would have been able to ride away like he did in 2022, with the riders of 2021 there. I also think that Pogacar wouldn't dare to make such a move from so far out. He's an incredibly smart rider, he would attack to make the race harder, but he wouldn't go for a solo 50km from the finish line with Alaphilippe, MVDA, WVA, and Bernal chasing him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And so what? There wasn't also competition at the vuelta for remco. Pogacar and vingegaard weren't there. He beat the all mighty Mas.

That one went straight over your head, didn't it.

 

[Andy schleck]

That one went straight over your head, didn't it.

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

 

[Extinction]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

I really think it is a factor of both. In other words, who is in the race and in what condition matters regarding the win. Does this take anything from Pog's Strade win or Remco's win? Of course not, however, when the competition is higher it does add luster to the victory imo.

 

[Andre]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

You haven't minimized Remco's achievements cause you can't, and when you try to it sounds illogical. You put Mas down as if he were nothing when in fact he was a very close level with Tadej.

 

[Salvarani]

There are always gonna be circumstances surrounding a race.

It still takes guts to do what Pog did in SB. Pulling off a long solo-attack to win the race. Who knows if he will ever win that race again? Because winning bike races aint easy.

Remco prepared himself perfectly and executed what he had as a goal for a long time. Who knows if he will win a GT again?

Point is. Dont take what these rider have done or won for granted. The window could be short.

And if we are gonna say who wasnt there or in form every time a rider wins a race... what are we really discussing and why? What is the point of this discussion?

Some of yall take the fun out of everything and just sound miserable.

 

[Extinction]

There are always gonna be circumstances surrounding a race.

It still takes guts to do what Pog did in SB. Pulling off a long solo-attack to win the race. Who knows if he will ever win that race again? Because winning bike races aint easy.

Remco prepared himself perfectly and executed what he had as a goal for a long time. Who knows if he will win a GT again?

Point is. Dont take what these rider have done or won for granted. The window could be short.

And if we are gonna say who wasnt there or in form every time a rider wins a race... what are we really discussing and why? What is the point of this discussion?

Some of yall take the fun out of everything and just sound miserable.

Yea, sure, but this all started because a certain Valverde said that Remco was by far the best and then all hell broke loose.

 

[tobydawq]

Yea, sure, but this all started because a certain Valverde said that Remco was by far the best and then all hell broke loose.

This season he won three major races. Nobody won two. So he is either infinitely as good or three times as good as all other riders of the peloton. Q.E.D.

 

[Extinction]

This season he won three major races. Nobody won two. So he is either infinitely as good or three times as good as all other riders of the peloton. Q.E.D.

Better yet, he won a monument (and Liege no less), a GT and WCRR, quod erat demonstrandum.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

The best i got was clearly more than enough. Going over your head appears to have been an understatement actually. It was a reference to 3 years of people downplaying Evenepoel's wins because X, Y or Z weren't at the race. That's why i opened with "time to turn the tabels on this meme". I would have thought that gave it away, but you proved me wrong.