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

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Ok this hype is getting a bit crazy now.

No, it got crazy out of hand a while ago.

I've seen these kinds of results/hype a few times, and the only one who turned into a good pro was Popovych

This is what De Cauwer meant in the interview i believe. He made a similar remark, but then they told him "it's not like that, this guy is special" (i'm paraphrazing, don't remember the exact words). Followed by the Merckx quote. Also, this guy won well over 50% of the races he entered. A week or two ago it was 12 wins out of 16 races or so IIRC, most in a "De Gendt-style" fashion, uphill or not. So i'm inclined to believe this guy is in fact "something else". But that doesn't mean they can't "ruin" him before he goes pro. I think they should start to be very careful. Obviously, Belgians are starved and famished for a GT contender, which doesn't help things.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

High praise. AFAIK he's only ever said that about Bernard Hinault

Yeah, but we all know how that turned out!

Mature words from a 18-year old about the praise and criticism. Think his entourage, especially his father, is doing a great job.

Well, i understand the media hype after his recent "escapades", but if i were his dad/manager, i'd keep the media at bay for a while now. I'd rather read about him, than see him on talkshows and on primetime sportsshows.

This was probably just a small media storm after his national title though, which will fade away now and we'll hear nothing about him the coming months.

 

[Naico]

Re: Re:

Ok this hype is getting a bit crazy now.

No, it got crazy out of hand a while ago.

I've seen these kinds of results/hype a few times, and the only one who turned into a good pro was Popovych

This is what De Cauwer meant in the interview i believe. He made a similar remark, but then they told him "it's not like that, this guy is special" (i'm paraphrazing, don't remember the exact words). Followed by the Merckx quote. Also, this guy won well over 50% of the races he entered. A week or two ago it was 12 wins out of 16 races or so IIRC, most in a "De Gendt-style" fashion, uphill or not. So i'm inclined to believe this guy is in fact "something else". But that doesn't mean they can't "ruin" him before he goes pro. I think they should start to be very careful. Obviously, Belgians are starved and famished for a GT contender, which doesn't help things.

They (De Cauwer included) probably meant he's got the right attitude. So basically saying that although people made these claims about certain riders in the past, it's different for Evenepoel who is beasting but also has a good head on his shoulders. As opposed to others (who have vanished in the passed) he only started recently. In a very short amount of time he's climbed the ranks and delivered these breathtaking performances. He hasn't been "the man" for years and years (among kids), which could also be part of the conclusion that he's "different".

 

[Lexman]

it's nice to see a belgian youngster to fancy the GT's and nothing else, since they always want to win RVV or PR...

let him try, evn if it turns out he might "only" be good in one week races, even there belgium hasn't many riders for...

 

[Bardamu]

He has the making of a superstar and it's cool to have a young Belgian with GC-ambitions, too often are they pushed into the cobbled races.

Even though he has a gentleman's agreement with Lefevere, I'm not sure Quick Step is the best team for him. If I were him I would join a team with a big GC-rider so he can grow in that rider's shadow. If it weren't for the robots behind the wheel at Sunweb I'd say that would be the best choice. Close to home, same language, and they tend to guide young riders quite well.

Although getting a winning mentality at Quick-Step ain't too shabby either.

 

[JoeD1997]

With regards to the QS agreement, does anyone know if he will do just one season with Axel at HBA, then join QS? Or will he do a few seasons as a U23 with HBA before moving to the WT?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

With regards to the QS agreement, does anyone know if he will do just one season with Axel at HBA, then join QS? Or will he do a few seasons as a U23 with HBA before moving to the WT?

He'd sign for QS in 2019, but i don't think that automatically means he'll move to WT?

 

[JoeD1997]

Re: Re:

With regards to the QS agreement, does anyone know if he will do just one season with Axel at HBA, then join QS? Or will he do a few seasons as a U23 with HBA before moving to the WT?

He'd sign for QS in 2019, but i don't think that automatically means he'll move to WT?

The thing that throws me is HBA are a PCT team. Would he not be required to get a two-year neo-pro deal? Or does that rule not apply to PCT, only WT teams? Either way, even if he has an amazing 2019 with HBA, I think he should remain there in 2020 too, I really don't want to see this guy burn out.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

With regards to the QS agreement, does anyone know if he will do just one season with Axel at HBA, then join QS? Or will he do a few seasons as a U23 with HBA before moving to the WT?

He's already signed a contract with the Hagens Berman team for next year, and is being supplied with equipment from that team's sponsor Specialized (despite the rest of Evenpoel's team being sponsored by Colnago and Limar). I'm not sure whether there is a rule saying juniors can't step up straight into the WT, but even with his impressive riding I feel he may struggle if he goes into the top level immediately. Tom Pidcock had a similar thing with Trek Segafredo but their manager said it was too early for him to move up to WT.

 

[DNP-Old]

17/06 ANZEGEM - INGOOIGEM
1 EVENEPOEL REMCO ACROG-PAUWELS SAUZEN - BALEN BC BEL20000125 2H01´05"
2 VAN VEENENDAAL HIDDE WV DE JONGE RENNER NED20010203 2H03´15" +2´10"
3 VAN MULDERS BRENT DAVO CYCLING TEAM - TONGEREN BEL20000822 2H04´45" +3´40"
4 DECLERCQ MATHIAS ZANNATA-GALLOO CYCLINGTEAM MENEN VZW BEL20000317 2H05´13" +4´08"
5 HOUSSIN BAVO VZW WP DE MOLENSPURTERS MEULEBEKE BEL20000303 2H05´13" +4´08"
6 HOPMANS WOUTER RUDYCO CYCLING TEAM NED20010517 2H05´24" +4´19"
7 DERIBREUX ACHILLE SPRINT 2000 CHARLEROI ASBL BEL20000311 2H05´29" +4´24"
8 VAN PRAET ROBBE ROYAL CUREGHEM SPORTIEF VZW BEL20001105 2H05´29" +4´24"
9 WERNIMONT NICOLAS DAVO CYCLING TEAM - TONGEREN BEL20000405 2H05´29" +4´24"
10 PLANCKAERT JENS ASFRA RACING TEAM BEL20001112 2H05´29" +4´24"

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

17/06 ANZEGEM - INGOOIGEM
1 EVENEPOEL REMCO ACROG-PAUWELS SAUZEN - BALEN BC BEL20000125 2H01´05"
2 VAN VEENENDAAL HIDDE WV DE JONGE RENNER NED20010203 2H03´15" +2´10"
3 VAN MULDERS BRENT DAVO CYCLING TEAM - TONGEREN BEL20000822 2H04´45" +3´40"
4 DECLERCQ MATHIAS ZANNATA-GALLOO CYCLINGTEAM MENEN VZW BEL20000317 2H05´13" +4´08"
5 HOUSSIN BAVO VZW WP DE MOLENSPURTERS MEULEBEKE BEL20000303 2H05´13" +4´08"
6 HOPMANS WOUTER RUDYCO CYCLING TEAM NED20010517 2H05´24" +4´19"
7 DERIBREUX ACHILLE SPRINT 2000 CHARLEROI ASBL BEL20000311 2H05´29" +4´24"
8 VAN PRAET ROBBE ROYAL CUREGHEM SPORTIEF VZW BEL20001105 2H05´29" +4´24"
9 WERNIMONT NICOLAS DAVO CYCLING TEAM - TONGEREN BEL20000405 2H05´29" +4´24"
10 PLANCKAERT JENS ASFRA RACING TEAM BEL20001112 2H05´29" +4´24"

Not another one… you could field and entire team consisting solely of Planckaerts.

 

[GuyIncognito]

One retires, three take his place

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Not another one… you could field and entire team consisting solely of Planckaerts.

Sure, if you want a team consisting of guys ranging from 70 to 14 or something.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Ok this hype is getting a bit crazy now.

No, it got crazy out of hand a while ago.

I've seen these kinds of results/hype a few times, and the only one who turned into a good pro was Popovych

This is what De Cauwer meant in the interview i believe. He made a similar remark, but then they told him "it's not like that, this guy is special" (i'm paraphrazing, don't remember the exact words). Followed by the Merckx quote. Also, this guy won well over 50% of the races he entered. A week or two ago it was 12 wins out of 16 races or so IIRC, most in a "De Gendt-style" fashion, uphill or not. So i'm inclined to believe this guy is in fact "something else". But that doesn't mean they can't "ruin" him before he goes pro. I think they should start to be very careful. Obviously, Belgians are starved and famished for a GT contender, which doesn't help things.

Crazy thing is Belgian U23 riders have been doing extremely well in climbing tours for a while now the last few years. Yet none of them seem to really have that bit of extra at the pro's (yet). Although most of them are still really young and have plenty of time.

Still I'm disappointed in the evolution of guys like Vervaeke etc, certainly compared to riders from the same generation who he had beaten before and are now miles ahead of him

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Ok this hype is getting a bit crazy now.

No, it got crazy out of hand a while ago.

I've seen these kinds of results/hype a few times, and the only one who turned into a good pro was Popovych

This is what De Cauwer meant in the interview i believe. He made a similar remark, but then they told him "it's not like that, this guy is special" (i'm paraphrazing, don't remember the exact words). Followed by the Merckx quote. Also, this guy won well over 50% of the races he entered. A week or two ago it was 12 wins out of 16 races or so IIRC, most in a "De Gendt-style" fashion, uphill or not. So i'm inclined to believe this guy is in fact "something else". But that doesn't mean they can't "ruin" him before he goes pro. I think they should start to be very careful. Obviously, Belgians are starved and famished for a GT contender, which doesn't help things.

Crazy thing is Belgian U23 riders have been doing extremely well in climbing tours for a while now the last few years. Yet none of them seem to really have that bit of extra at the pro's (yet). Although most of them are still really young and have plenty of time.

Still I'm disappointed in the evolution of guys like Vervaeke etc, certainly compared to riders from the same generation who he had beaten before and are now miles ahead of him

Who do you mean besides Vervaeke? Lambrecht already won a race among the pro's, beating Albasini and EBH.

Vanhoucke is the other guy and is still an espoir (supposed to turn pro 1st of July but he's out with anemia).

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Not another one… you could field and entire team consisting solely of Planckaerts.

Sure, if you want a team consisting of guys ranging from 70 to 14 or something.

Well, we got Baptiste (29), Edward (23), Emiel (21), and Jens (not sure exactly, but I'm assuming he's a U19 rider).
Then we just need to get Francesco (36) out of retirement.
Would still have quite an age difference from oldest to youngest, but nobody in the crazy-old or crazy-young age.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

@Flamin: there were more, I'm certain of it, but most of them I forgot already. De Plus is there or thereabouts. Did Stef Cras turn pro already? Think so?
And Lambrecht won a puncheur stage, but so far nothing amazing in high mountains, although, like I said, I'm not judging him yet because he is really young and has plenty of time. Even De Plus has plenty of time, heck even Vervaeke still has plenty of time. Maybe I'm impatient or I'm just too used to U23 riders turning results instantly in this day and age with people like Latour, Oomen, Gaudu and Bernal riding results pretty much instantly.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Who do you mean besides Vervaeke? Lambrecht already won a race among the pro's, beating Albasini and EBH.

Vanhoucke is the other guy and is still an espoir (supposed to turn pro 1st of July but he's out with anemia).

De Plus, Wellens, Teuns... Wellens was supposed to be a GC rider, same generation of Kelderman & Aru. De Plus i still have high hopes for. He was rather impressive in his first Giro (24th) while doing a lot of work in the first week for the team. Crashed last year and was hit by a truck, is just starting to come back. Honestly, i think Benoot would do well if he were to consider focussing on GC work.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

@Flamin: there were more, I'm certain of it, but most of them I forgot already. De Plus is there or thereabouts. Did Stef Cras turn pro already? Think so?
And Lambrecht won a puncheur stage, but so far nothing amazing in high mountains, although, like I said, I'm not judging him yet because he is really young and has plenty of time. Even De Plus has plenty of time, heck even Vervaeke still has plenty of time. Maybe I'm impatient or I'm just too used to U23 riders turning results instantly in this day and age with people like Latour, Oomen, Gaudu and Bernal riding results pretty much instantly.

Crass and Lambrecht both did the TDS. Lambrecht was 59 seconds ahead of Sivakov, prior to the ITT. In the mountains he lost 15 seconds in one stage and 1m5s in another stage on Kelderman and Oomen. So, that may not be amazing, but i'd say that's rather good. Crass didn't hold up too well.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Who do you mean besides Vervaeke? Lambrecht already won a race among the pro's, beating Albasini and EBH.

Vanhoucke is the other guy and is still an espoir (supposed to turn pro 1st of July but he's out with anemia).

De Plus, Wellens, Teuns... Wellens was supposed to be a GC rider, same generation of Kelderman & Aru. De Plus i still have high hopes for. He was rather impressive in his first Giro (24th) while doing a lot of work in the first week for the team. Crashed last year and was hit by a truck, is just starting to come back. Honestly, i think Benoot would do well if he were to consider focussing on GC work.

What do Wellens and Teuns have to do with this? Wellens has a great palmares despite being only 27 yo. Teuns was excellent last year.

@Flamin: there were more, I'm certain of it, but most of them I forgot already. De Plus is there or thereabouts. Did Stef Cras turn pro already? Think so?
And Lambrecht won a puncheur stage, but so far nothing amazing in high mountains, although, like I said, I'm not judging him yet because he is really young and has plenty of time. Even De Plus has plenty of time, heck even Vervaeke still has plenty of time. Maybe I'm impatient or I'm just too used to U23 riders turning results instantly in this day and age with people like Latour, Oomen, Gaudu and Bernal riding results pretty much instantly.

Cras is pro with Katusha, though not really in the league of Vervaeke, Lambrecht as an u23.

Lambrecht is not a pure climber anyway. He won multiple races by hanging on uphill and then outsprinting his opponents. Imo he has definitely met the expectations so far.

De Plus is still very young and had quite some bad luck.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Who do you mean besides Vervaeke? Lambrecht already won a race among the pro's, beating Albasini and EBH.

Vanhoucke is the other guy and is still an espoir (supposed to turn pro 1st of July but he's out with anemia).

De Plus, Wellens, Teuns... Wellens was supposed to be a GC rider, same generation of Kelderman & Aru. De Plus i still have high hopes for. He was rather impressive in his first Giro (24th) while doing a lot of work in the first week for the team. Crashed last year and was hit by a truck, is just starting to come back. Honestly, i think Benoot would do well if he were to consider focussing on GC work.

What do Wellens and Teuns have to do with this? Wellens has a great palmares despite being only 27 yo. Teuns was excellent last year.

Yeah. I was wondering that as well, Teuns is the guy who literally won three stage races in as many weeks last year.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

What do Wellens and Teuns have to do with this? Wellens has a great palmares despite being only 27 yo. Teuns was excellent last year.

Yeah. I was wondering that as well, Teuns is the guy who literally won three stage races in as many weeks last year.

The original quote was "Crazy thing is Belgian U23 riders have been doing extremely well in climbing tours for a while now the last few years. Yet none of them seem to really have that bit of extra at the pro's (yet)."
I may have a different opinion of what constitutes good results in "climbing tours" than you, but in my book, Wellens isn't a GC/GT rider. He can have a go at some classics and hunt for stagewins, sure. But this isn't what the original discussion was about, imo. Teuns remains to be seen, had a good year last year in small tours, i just added his name because i thought maybe DT was talking about him as well.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

@Flamin: there were more, I'm certain of it, but most of them I forgot already. De Plus is there or thereabouts. Did Stef Cras turn pro already? Think so?
And Lambrecht won a puncheur stage, but so far nothing amazing in high mountains, although, like I said, I'm not judging him yet because he is really young and has plenty of time. Even De Plus has plenty of time, heck even Vervaeke still has plenty of time. Maybe I'm impatient or I'm just too used to U23 riders turning results instantly in this day and age with people like Latour, Oomen, Gaudu and Bernal riding results pretty much instantly.

What about Eijssen? Seems like he was talked about but never really went anywhere.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

What do Wellens and Teuns have to do with this? Wellens has a great palmares despite being only 27 yo. Teuns was excellent last year.

Yeah. I was wondering that as well, Teuns is the guy who literally won three stage races in as many weeks last year.

The original quote was "Crazy thing is Belgian U23 riders have been doing extremely well in climbing tours for a while now the last few years. Yet none of them seem to really have that bit of extra at the pro's (yet)."
I may have a different opinion of what constitutes good results in "climbing tours" than you, but in my book, Wellens isn't a GC/GT rider. He can have a go at some classics and hunt for stagewins, sure. But this isn't what the original discussion was about, imo. Teuns remains to be seen, had a good year last year in small tours, i just added his name because i thought maybe DT was talking about him as well.

I don't see DT talking anywhere about GC/GT riders in particular in that quote, but merely about them not having that bit of extra at the pro's. Which obviously disqualifies Wellens and, to a (much) lesser extent, Teuns. Although one could make a case for the latter if he never reaches his 2017 level again.

Anyway, it just seems like we interpreted DT's post in a different way.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

@Flamin: there were more, I'm certain of it, but most of them I forgot already. De Plus is there or thereabouts. Did Stef Cras turn pro already? Think so?
And Lambrecht won a puncheur stage, but so far nothing amazing in high mountains, although, like I said, I'm not judging him yet because he is really young and has plenty of time. Even De Plus has plenty of time, heck even Vervaeke still has plenty of time. Maybe I'm impatient or I'm just too used to U23 riders turning results instantly in this day and age with people like Latour, Oomen, Gaudu and Bernal riding results pretty much instantly.

What about Eijssen? Seems like he was talked about but never really went anywhere.

Yeah though that's one helluva long time ago since he was an U23