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

[houtdffan]

I wonder if he's actually able to do that... He's also quite competitive, I can't imagine him not attacking in the first week. Would be smart of course. Just win the TT's and save as much energy as possible, and maybe win the uphill sprints for bonus seconds

Maybe he only attacks if he sees a chance to gain big time. Maybe Rog has an off day then Remco pours it on then

 

[Riek s]

I wonder if he's actually able to do that... He's also quite competitive, I can't imagine him not attacking in the first week. Would be smart of course. Just win the TT's and save as much energy as possible, and maybe win the uphill sprints for bonus seconds

Hopefully he is going to wheelsuck massively. (Might have a shot since we expect him to be in the lead due to the ITT).

In the vuelta they also rode conservatively, by letting the breaks go for the win to take away the boni seconds. So i'm expecting the same thing here, but hopefully he will be a bit further from the front since riding in the group or in a single line is a major difference in draft & energy cost.

 

[Bonimenier]

He mentioned he weighs 63 kg at the moment in an interview. That's the same as just before the Vuelta last year, but he looked skinnier back then.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He mentioned he weighs 63 kg at the moment in an interview. That's the same as just before the Vuelta last year, but he looked skinnier back then.

That's how much they claimed they were aiming for last year. However, in an interview right after the Vuelta with Sammy Neirinck he admitted his weight was 3kg lower than Liège'22, which meant it should have been 61-62kg at the Vuelta. Also in the interview now with Renaat Schotte, it didn't really seem like he was being earnest per se. Just the same 63kg answer as last year. I surely hope he isn't heavier than during the Vuelta, because his climbing needs to be on another level compared to the Vuelta. I certainly hope they didn't buff him up in order to gain a few seconds extra in the TT, because he would lose those seconds tenfold in the third week. I think he looked lean, but certainly not superskinny. Let's hope the numbers add up.

 

[Extinction]

He mentioned he weighs 63 kg at the moment in an interview. That's the same as just before the Vuelta last year, but he looked skinnier back then.

Looks pretty lean to me.

Ma non è che alla fine salta la cronoscalata del Lussari?

Rimbalza dal Belgio una notizia che se confermata avrebbe dell'incredibile: Sporza rivela che la strombazzatissima cronoscalata del Monte...

www.cicloweb.it

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Did they make small changes to his TT position during the winter? I’m wondering combined with his natural growth trajectory how much better we can expect him to be compared to his TT at the Vuelta

In the same interview as mentioned by Bonimenier, he said his TT position did not change since last year.

 

[Berniece]

In the same interview as mentioned by Bonimenier, he said his TT position did not change since last year.

Thanks, I still have to watch it. Was surprised it was 20min long.

 

[Andre]

Stage 20 may be changed? I couldn't read entire article

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Stage 20 may be changed? I couldn't read entire article

Road is too narrow for a car to follow and there is still snow. There is not enough room at the top for parking/podium etc. So every rider has to go down by cablelift. But even having riders followed by motorcycles (with spare wheels etc) seems to be difficult to manage, so they are now debating on what to do. Try to stick to the plan and find solutions or change/cancel the stage.

 

[frisenfruitig]

One would think this is the kind of stuff they figure out when designing the route instead of right before the start of the race, but perhaps I am unreasonable in my expectations.

 

[red_flanders]

One would think this is the kind of stuff they figure out when designing the route instead of right before the start of the race, but perhaps I am unreasonable in my expectations.

Seems reasonable.

 

[Berniece]

One would think this is the kind of stuff they figure out when designing the route instead of right before the start of the race, but perhaps I am unreasonable in my expectations.

It’s as if they only look at the map and forgot to check it out with Google Streetview, because apparently they don’t visit those sights in real life

 

[jmdirt]

Road is too narrow for a car to follow and there is still snow. There is not enough room at the top for parking/podium etc. So every rider has to go down by cablelift. But even having riders followed by motorcycles (with spare wheels etc) seems to be difficult to manage, so they are now debating on what to do. Try to stick to the plan and find solutions or change/cancel the stage.

Is the road too narrow because of the snow, or is it too narrow even without the snow?

 

[jmdirt]

Hopefully he is going to wheelsuck massively. (Might have a shot since we expect him to be in the lead due to the ITT).

In the vuelta they also rode conservatively, by letting the breaks go for the win to take away the boni seconds. So i'm expecting the same thing here, but hopefully he will be a bit further from the front since riding in the group or in a single line is a major difference in draft & energy cost.

That will make several thread unreadable!

 

[Gargamel35]

One would think for a multi million eur worth second biggest 3 week GT race in the calendar, someone drives on all the roads and checks if route is doable. I guess not. People in charge should be fired.

 

[peterfin]

One would think for a multi million eur worth second biggest 3 week GT race in the calendar, someone drives on all the roads and checks if route is doable. I guess not. People in charge should be fired.

It's in Italy.

 

[Sciatic]

Is the road too narrow because of the snow, or is it too narrow even without the snow?

Even without the snow

 

[jmdirt]

Even without the snow

Well, that was poor planning then. I don't mind not having the podium at the top, but they should be able to get the team cars in there in a GT.

 

[Extinction]

But why did the teams from the reconnaissance months ago not voice their discent? I'm not defending Vegni, but, by all means, who is pontificating now? This should have been addressed by all previously. And then, if a motorcycle can provide support who cares? The UCI is acting irresposibly. Just go up the freekin mountain.

 

[houtdffan]

climb the mountain

dont be wussies

 

[Riek s]

But why did the teams from the reconnaissance months ago not voice their discent? I'm not defending Vegni, but, by all means, who is pontificating now? This should have been addressed by all previously. And then, if a motorcycle can provide support who cares? The UCI is acting irresposibly. Just go up the freekin mountain.

was it even possible to climb it before (or now)? afaik remco didn't recon it because of the snow.

 

[Extinction]

was it even possible to climb it before (or now)? afaik remco didn't recon it because of the snow.

I don't know, but the teams should have done a reconnaissance, some way, some how. Although I agree that Vegni should have anticipated the problem. But let's just go up the mountain. I mean, they have ridden in the snow. What is happening with the sport?

 

[Sciatic]

But why did the teams from the reconnaissance months ago not voice their discent? I'm not defending Vegni, but, by all means, who is pontificating now? This should have been addressed by all previously. And then, if a motorcycle can provide support who cares? The UCI is acting irresposibly. Just go up the freekin mountain.

If the amount of available space is as limited as it sounds, there might not be room for all the motos and riders to collect up there before descending. And I would guess it would not be great for descending motos or riders to be coming back down a winding narrow road while riders are doing their TT up the road. I think someone mentioned riders going off (at their 1 minute intervals) in groups of 20, and then have a break long enough for this motos to all descend together. Then the next 20, etc. But that would probably double the overall length of the TT.
But yeah, seems like that should have been one of the first considerations when planning this stage last year!

 

[jmdirt]

But why did the teams from the reconnaissance months ago not voice their discent? I'm not defending Vegni, but, by all means, who is pontificating now? This should have been addressed by all previously. And then, if a motorcycle can provide support who cares? The UCI is acting irresposibly. Just go up the freekin mountain.

Recon on ski-doos?

 

[Extinction]

Recon on ski-doos?

As in Hampsten up the Gavia in 88?