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

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...or Tadej might make a move to the front of the race with 40 kilometers to go, look around, look back, call the team car, talk to Ineos who are pulling and laboring, and then realize that Remco already took off down the road. Game over.
 
Not sure if he has enough rainbows on his kit. People may have no idea he is world champ.

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From an interview in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport:

Remco Evenepoel: "I like him (Pogacar) very much and he can win every course, but I know how to beat him."..."what Tadej has done this spring is not ordinary. What a talent! He's a great champion who deserves everyone's full respect. He's competed at a high level since February. That's impressive. I'm not surprised because he's already won two Tours and many other races. In one sense the way he wins certain races for him it's just logical, it's normal. Twice he finished at the top of the UCI rankings. He's proven that he can win any type of course. And he's a super nice guy with it."

"Yet, my races confirm since Liege last year (with few exceptions like San Juan, which was really just a "cycling vacation") that I've ridden consistently with the World Tour best"...."to race Liege in the rainbow jersey is thrilling, I had goose bumps in the reconnaissance." "No, I'm not disappointed that I haven't ridden any other monuments thus far. Our plan was different, culminating with Liege and then the Giro. In the future I'll have a crack at other monuments, but I can't say now if it will be in two, three, four or five years. No, I haven't thought about other riders. We have a plan for our race, and the confidence that we can win. There are several guys in good form, but it's logical Tadej is the favorite. However, I know I'm in very good form and I will be ready for the competition." "I'd say in respect to 2022, when Liege was a must win, it's a completely different situation. Our approach has been it's all about the Giro, however, we'll do everything we can to arrive first on Sunday (tomorrow). As I see it, we have, in theory, the strongest team. Any one of us has the potential to win this race, except for Pieter Serry, whose job will be to pull at the front from the first km (more laughs).

And finally: "What ambition do I have? Simple, to win."

So respect and cofidence in his own abilities.
 
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From an interview in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport:

Remco Evenepoel: "I like him (Pogacar) very much and he can win every course, but I know how to beat him."..."what Tadej has done this spring is not ordinary. What a talent! He's a great champion who deserves everyone's full respect. He's competed at a high level since February. That's impressive. I'm not surprised because he's already won two Tours and many other races. In one sense the way he wins certain races for him it's just logical, it's normal. Twice he finished at the top of the UCI rankings. He's proven that he can win any type of course. And he's a super nice guy with it."

"Yet, my races confirm since Liege last year (with few exceptions like San Juan, which was really just a "cycling vacation") that I've ridden consistently with the World Tour best"...."to race Liege in the rainbow jersey is thrilling, I had goose bumps in the reconnaissance." "No, I'm not disappointed that I haven't ridden any other monuments thus far. Our plan was different, culminating with Liege and then the Giro. In the future I'll have a crack at other monuments, but I can't say now if it will be in two, three, four or five years. No, I haven't thought about other riders. We have a plan for our race, and the confidence that we can win. There are several guys in good form, but it's logical Tadej is the favorite. However, I know I'm in very good form and I will be ready for the competition." "I'd say in respect to 2022, when Liege was a must win, it's a completely different situation. Our approach has been it's all about the Giro, however, we'll do everything we can to arrive first on Sunday (tomorrow). As I see it, we have, in theory, the strongest team. Any one of us has the potential to win this race, except for Pieter Serry, whose job will be to pull at the front from the first km (more laughs).

And finally: "What ambition do I have? Simple, to win."

So respect and cofidence in his own abilities.

Respect towards your rival and confidence in your own ability. That's how it should be. I'm fine with him saying he knows how to beat Pogacar. His achievements in one-day races back it up. However, if he loses some will point out this quote to criticize him.
 
Let them do it, who cares?
I, for one, am actually hoping that IF Remco loses today and the Giro, that some of his fans will allow for a possibility that he's not the half-god that they currently act like he is.

I realize that being a fan can have almost a religious component, but even the biggest religions have recognized the need for mutual tolerance and respect.

... back in the day, I was worried about the new Slovenian fans being blindly-arrogant, but some of the Remco fans make us look really good in comparison, or maybe we are no better, and it's just that Roglič and Pogačar have so far managed to support with evidence even the most arrogant of our dreams, and Remco is just not there yet.
 
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I, for one, am actually hoping that IF Remco loses today and the Giro, that some of his fans will allow for a possibility that he's not the half-god that they currently act like he is.

I realize that being a fan can have almost a religious component, but even the biggest religions have recognized the need for mutual tolerance and respect.

... back in the day, I was worried about the new Slovenian fans being blindly-arrogant, but some of the Remco fans make us look really good in comparison, or maybe we are no better, and it's just that Roglič and Pogačar have so far managed to support with evidence even the most arrogant of our dreams, and Remco is just not there yet.

This is a "what have you done for me lately"

How quick some forget how utterly dominant Remco was last year. Only races he lost from LBL to the worlds were Suisse (heat stroke) and WTT (didn't properly recon the course)
 
I, for one, am actually hoping that IF Remco loses today and the Giro, that some of his fans will allow for a possibility that he's not the half-god that they currently act like he is.

I realize that being a fan can have almost a religious component, but even the biggest religions have recognized the need for mutual tolerance and respect.

... back in the day, I was worried about the new Slovenian fans being blindly-arrogant, but some of the Remco fans make us look really good in comparison, or maybe we are no better, and it's just that Roglič and Pogačar have so far managed to support with evidence even the most arrogant of our dreams, and Remco is just not there yet.
Before giving lessons about how "blindly arrogant" Remco fans are, when in fact the vast majority are just enthusiastic (with reason) supporters, why don't you look in the mirror? Despite having been handily beaten at the last Tour, being unimpressive at Worlds and winning recently against not the best competition, you are making Pog out to be the Messiah. I'm not reading from Remco fans, however, that Pog isn't number one on results so far, but what do you expect them to do mock Evenepoel as a result? And mostly nobody contests Roglic's fine qualities, other than an occasional wheelsucker comment with justification. Evenepoel lost 1.5 years in his young career due to a terrible accident, is back on track but following his own itinerary, with only a dethroned Primoz at Jumbo likewise taking on the Giro.

And before smugly getting ahead of yourself, the rivalry has only just begun. So let's take inventory again in five years.
 
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Everybody is eager for the rivalry to start today. And yet this will only be an appetizer at best. Let's hope for a nice appetizer though. My hope is on remco to make the race interesting, whether his plans succeed or not.
 
I agree it's time for a proper rivalry between those two. So far the only time they were fighting mano a mano was Tirreno last year (before Carpegna stage) and EC in 2021. In other races, either Pog was a non-factor (i.e. last WC or San Sebastian) or Remco (i.e. Olympics or Lombardia in 2021).
 
Stop comparing Remco with Pogacar. Pogacar is in a league of his own even of he loses today. Maybe in 2/3 years Remco will catch him, he is capable of that until this day, there is no rivalry. In Tirreno, Remco wasn't good and in worlds Pogacar was still far from his best shape. So we don't really have nothing to compare, maybe today but I still think Remco is better prepared than Pogi.
 
Stop comparing Remco with Pogacar. Pogacar is in a league of his own even of he loses today. Maybe in 2/3 years Remco will catch him, he is capable of that until this day, there is no rivalry. In Tirreno, Remco wasn't good and in worlds Pogacar was still far from his best shape. So we don't really have nothing to compare, maybe today but I still think Remco is better prepared than Pogi.

To quote James Hunt "All I'll say about that is bullsh*t"
 
Stop comparing Remco with Pogacar. Pogacar is in a league of his own even of he loses today. Maybe in 2/3 years Remco will catch him, he is capable of that until this day, there is no rivalry. In Tirreno, Remco wasn't good and in worlds Pogacar was still far from his best shape. So we don't really have nothing to compare, maybe today but I still think Remco is better prepared than Pogi.

How is there no rivalry? Pog wants to win LBL and Remco as well. Same for il lombardia this year. So how are they not rivals?

FYI1: Pog won a classic against WVA right before the worlds. So saying he was far from his best shape is bs. Just because he didn't win doesn't mean he was 'far' from his best shape.

FYI2: Remco peaks for Giro (3rd week he still needs to have it) he is less prepared than last year. Something that was said before as well. The moment they said they would go for the Giro it was stated he will do LBL, but he would be less prepared... but he did want to try and defend his title (otherwise he wouldn't even start, like Roglic). So don't make it as if he put his complete and everything in this race. (Unlike Pog who made the classics his peak, with very great success up and maybe including today.).
 
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How is there no rivalry? Pog wants to win LBL and Remco as well. Same for il lombardia this year. So how are they not rivals?

FYI1: Pog won a classic against WVA right before the worlds. So saying he was far from his best shape is bs. Just because he didn't win doesn't mean he was 'far' from his best shape.

FYI2: Remco peaks for Giro (3rd week he still needs to have it) he is less prepared than last year. Something that was said before as well. The moment they said they would go for the Giro it was stated he will do LBL, but he would be less prepared... but he did want to try and defend his title. So don't make it as if he put his complete and everything in this race. (Unlike Pog who made the classics his peak).
Remco already proved he can maintain his peak shape for more than a month. I think Pogi is winning because his base level is very good, better than third tier riders. If it is enough to beat Remco in peak shape? I have my doubts. There is no rivalry yet, they never raced sgainst each other when both are in great shape. Probably, we will have the first round today. However, I think we need to wait for a GT to really see a showdown between these two.
A rivalry is like Jonas against Pogacar or WVA vs MVP
 
Stop comparing Remco with Pogacar. Pogacar is in a league of his own even of he loses today. Maybe in 2/3 years Remco will catch him, he is capable of that until this day, there is no rivalry. In Tirreno, Remco wasn't good and in worlds Pogacar was still far from his best shape. So we don't really have nothing to compare, maybe today but I still think Remco is better prepared than Pogi.
We'll learn a lot more about the Belgian over the next month and even more when he prepares for the Tour with a different spring campaign next year. To say, however, the rivalry doesn't exist is nonesense. It hasn't reached its fullness, but today is a great rivalry among them.
 
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