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

[red_flanders]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

And black is slimming...

 

[red_flanders]

9 seconds faster than Pogi, it's game over

Well Pogi has him by 2:15 on the Roche, so Remco will be trounced there...

 

[houtdffan]

It is suprising, given the rest of your post is well conceived, that you bring up the above issue, which will have no bearing on this Giro. In 2021 he was underprepared and back from ingury in what was his first GT that he never should have started. And even if he struggles at some point in this coming Giro, his performance in the 2021 event will have had nothing to do with it.

The next Giro is going to be harder than the Vuelta, but he is two years more developed, with last season's successful Vuelta in his legs. There is thus reason to be optimisitic. If he doesn't have problems reacclimating from altitude camp at Liege, which is the largest unknown for Sunday, he should give us some indication of the Remco that will start the Giro on May 5.

and he wasted so much energy having to chase back on because he descended like a scared poodle in a thunderstorm

 

[Salvarani]

He took "never skip leg day" pretty seriously.

 

[Panda Claws]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

Looking frighteningly fit

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Did he lost 4 kg?

Yes, but he gained 5.

 

[Extinction]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

A stocky, muscular little sh-it with no fat. A real, tightly packed, firecracker.

 

[Extinction]

and he wasted so much energy having to chase back on because he descended like a scared poodle in a thunderstorm

Exactly, and watch out, because this Giro could be conditioned by inclement weather! That's because Italy has been below normal rainfall for the last two years and thus the great cycle could turn anew.

 

[red_flanders]

If he doesn't have problems reacclimating from altitude camp at Liege, which is the largest unknown for Sunday, he should give us some indication of the Remco that will start the Giro on May 5.

What are the potential issues with re-acclimating from altitude camp? I thought the entire point was that coming back down to sea level one would reap enormous benefit. I've heard of (of course) problems acclimating to altitude, I've never heard the opposite.

Every year when I come back from a couple weeks riding at Lake Tahoe (trails at 2000-2500 meters ) I'm flying at sea level, from day one. Part of it is certainly that I'm riding a lot when I'm up there, but part of it is that it's so easy to breathe when I get home at sea level.

Maybe there's something I don't understand about this practice. Or are you referring to the general training vs racing intensity questions?

 

[Didinho]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

He knows it will be a sprint so he got his sprinting legs ready.

 

[DNP-Old]

Holy, he is looking strong. I'm starting to feel a little aroused.

 

[Riek s]

Holy, he is looking strong. I'm starting to feel a little aroused.

soon they will need an 18+ rated forum section to move this topic to ..

But he looks strong... but not slim. but maybe its a bit an optical illusion since he not that high..

Or he did additional sprint training so he can do a roglic on roglic.

 

[DNP-Old]

soon they will need an 18+ rated forum section to move this topic to ..

But he looks strong... but not slim. but maybe its a bit an optical illusion since he not that high..

Or he did additional sprint training so he can do a roglic on roglic.

Thickness over a monumental win any day of the week.

 

[Extinction]

What are the potential issues with re-acclimating from altitude camp? I thought the entire point was that coming back down to sea level one would reap enormous benefit. I've heard of (of course) problems acclimating to altitude, I've never heard the opposite.

Every year when I come back from a couple weeks riding at Lake Tahoe (trails at 2000-2500 meters ) I'm flying at sea level, from day one. Part of it is certainly that I'm riding a lot when I'm up there, but part of it is that it's so easy to breathe when I get home at sea level.

Maybe there's something I don't understand about this practice. Or are you referring to the general training vs racing intensity questions?

I'm simply going on what is discussed. Evidently some riders need time to "absorb" the workload at altitude, which, in theory, has nothing to do with the altitudine itself, but the damage done by the intensity that demands time to recover from (at sea level it would be the same, without, however, the increased blood octain) and thus reach a higher level. In other words, the stress a rider places himself under at altitude camp can need a few days of recovery for the increased red blood cell count to provide benefits that override the fatigue of the altitude camp itself.

 

[Sciatic]

What are the potential issues with re-acclimating from altitude camp? I thought the entire point was that coming back down to sea level one would reap enormous benefit. I've heard of (of course) problems acclimating to altitude, I've never heard the opposite.

Every year when I come back from a couple weeks riding at Lake Tahoe (trails at 2000-2500 meters ) I'm flying at sea level, from day one. Part of it is certainly that I'm riding a lot when I'm up there, but part of it is that it's so easy to breathe when I get home at sea level.

Maybe there's something I don't understand about this practice. Or are you referring to the general training vs racing intensity questions?

I’ve never seen articles that go into detail about this, so this is conjecture. I doubt when folks talk about impact on riders coming back from altitude camp the issue is about the elevation change. I would think it’s about coming out of a very intense block of training. And whether a rider tapered off a bit on the intensity right before a race like LBL. And however hard the training block it’s still not the same as being in “race rythym”, something we hear riders and DS’s mention sometimes. Both of the above would be true coming at of a training camp at sea level—but most GC riders/teams do their training blocks at altitude now to get the supposed benefits.

it’s not like they’re at 4,000 meters like in Bolivia or someplace, so I don’t think they’re going to have much (any) physiologic adjustment to make coming back to close to sea level.

ed. Extinction beat me to it

 

[Extinction]

I’ve never see articles about this, so this is conjecture. I doubt when folks talk about impact on riders coming back from altitude camp is about the elevation change. I would think it’s about coming out of a very intense block of training. And whether a rider tapered off a bit on the intensity right before a race like LBL. And however hard the training block it’s still not the same as being in “race rythym”, something we hear riders and DS’s mention sometimes. Both of the above would be true coming at of a training camp at sea level—but most GC riders/teams do their training blocks at altitude now to get the supposed benefits.

They have to get the "tapering off" just right, with still maximum benefits for Liege and Giro. Not an easy task. Hopefully they have a magus on staff.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

I‘m shocked Skijumper Roglič fan has not weighed in on this yet. Those are some massive track sprinter legs!

 

[Sciatic]

They have to get the "tapering off" just right, with still maximum benefits for Liege and Giro. Not an easy task. Hopefully they have a magus on staff.

Agreed.

 

[red_flanders]

I'm simply going on what is discussed. Evidently some riders need time to "absorb" the workload at altitude, which, in theory, has nothing to do with the altitudine itself, but the damage done by the intensity that demands time to recover from (at sea level it would be the same, without, however, the increased blood octain) and thus reach a higher level. In other words, the stress a rider places himself under at altitude camp can need a few days of recovery for the increased red blood cell count to provide benefits that override the fatigue of the altitude camp itself.

Ok, gotcha. That sounds much like training-induced stress at any altitude. He's been tapering (my interpretation from Strava) for at least several days. Gotta figure they know what they're doing, it's not that complicated to manage. I would say not an issue. I wonder if it's more accurately referred to it as "recovering" rather than "re-acclimating".

 

[Red Rick]

Ok, gotcha. That sounds much like training-induced stress at any altitude. He's been tapering (my interpretation from Strava) for at least several days. Gotta figure they know what they're doing, it's not that complicated to manage. I would say not an issue. I wonder if it's more accurately referred to it as "recovering" rather than "re-acclimating".

Remember when Evenepoel said he wasn't feeling good the first 2 stages of Catalunya? That was exactly the same.

I think now he's back from altitude for longer.

Then there's the part where some riders just need some race days to start flying, but that's never been a problem for Evenepoel

 

[Big Doopie]

OMG, Evenepoel is bringing his Valencia legs. Or did he wrap 3 towels around his thighs?

Not sure if he has enough rainbows on his kit. People may have no idea he is world champ.

 

[red_flanders]

Wonder if he'll start gesticulating at Pogi when Pogi won't help him in the finale...

 

[Extinction]

Ok, gotcha. That sounds much like training-induced stress at any altitude. He's been tapering (my interpretation from Strava) for at least several days. Gotta figure they know what they're doing, it's not that complicated to manage. I would say not an issue. I wonder if it's more accurately referred to it as "recovering" rather than "re-acclimating".

Re-acclimating though is a factor of recovery.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Wonder if he'll start gesticulating at Pogi when Pogi won't help him in the finale...

Yes, of course, it‘s the football mentality.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So what will Remco do on Sunday? When will he attack? Maybe he will try near the top of Desnie with a few nearly flat km afterwards? I think this could end up as a long range attack by him and Pogacar.