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

[Venge 82]

Today a Belgian podcast (Wuyts & Vlaeminck) speculated about Remco's possible participation in the TdF.
I still have to listen, but apparently Serge Pauwels (performance coach of the Belgian Team) would have said it is not yet excluded Remco will participate.

Let's hope.

Anyway, on Saturday I spotted Louis Vervaeke on his bike (just a ride with wife and child), but it means he's no longer suffering from Covid.
Vervaeke tested positive after Remco, so I guess Remco should be fine right now as well. I know, everyone responds differently to Covid, but it's at least not a bad sign.

 

[Berniece]

Imagine that, showing off your Rainbow bands in the Tour. Once in a lifetime opportunity.

Might happen again in case of Remco. Wouldn’t be surprised if he wins another WC in his career

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So, I'm curious, what you think are the other reasons for the lack of WT stage wins?
(Cause this one is not good enough).

Errr... Maybe his crash and the trajectory that followed? 2021 he was clearly not back in top shape. Then they had him start the '22 season weighing 200kg.

 

[Netserk]

Then they had him start the '22 season weighing 200kg.

You don't think Evenepoel has any agency when it comes to that?

 

[veganrob]

Even a loss in the Tour would be better for Remco than another win in the Vuelta or especially no other GT this year. He needs the experience of the high pressure physical and mental situations that come from that.

 

[Tem]

Even a loss in the Tour would be better for Remco than another win in the Vuelta or especially no other GT this year. He needs the experience of the high pressure physical and mental situations that come from that.

Based on media/fan attention he gets more pressure then otehr riders just by going to the local shop

 

[houtdffan]

Today a Belgian podcast (Wuyts & Vlaeminck) speculated about Remco's possible participation in the TdF.
I still have to listen, but apparently Serge Pauwels (performance coach of the Belgian Team) would have said it is not yet excluded Remco will participate.

Let's hope.

Anyway, on Saturday I spotted Louis Vervaeke on his bike (just a ride with wife and child), but it means he's no longer suffering from Covid.
Vervaeke tested positive after Remco, so I guess Remco should be fine right now as well. I know, everyone responds differently to Covid, but it's at least not a bad sign.

so, was Lefevre just blowing smoke or did Prudhomme pay him off?

 

[Venge 82]

Serge Pauwels claimed that he has no more information, but he believes that there is still a chance Remco will participate. Would be the ideal prep for the WC.

I dare to doubt that Serge hasn't got more info.

 

[Mayomaniac]

so, was Lefevre just blowing smoke or did Prudhomme pay him off?

ASO doesn't pay riders to ride the Tour, they get pressured by sponsors to ride the Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

ASO doesn't pay riders to ride the Tour, they get pressured by sponsors to ride the Tour.

Their salary was a bribe all along

 

[Riek s]

So, I'm curious, what you think are the other reasons for the lack of WT stage wins?
(Cause this one is not good enough).

- Not having a focus to really try and win one of the big 7 as a goal. (where i think dauphine is most prestigious. UAE/Benelux/Turkey/ I consider the lowest tier in WT)
- Not being good enough/experienced enough. (early season, different goals, just not there)
- and ofcourse covid + his crash that side tracked him a year and resulted in him doing the Giro instead of doing Dauphine/TDS in the hope to catch up. (setting him back further)

 

[memyselfandI]

I hope they play the long game and not make same mistake that Declercq. Known steps method is at least 17 days heavily reduced recovery program if no cardiac problems. So this month goes there. At least. I hope they skip Tour right away and try to bring Vuelta nicely to the table if recovery goes ok.

 

[rghysens]

I hope they play the long game and not make same mistake that Declercq. Known steps method is at least 17 days heavily reduced recovery program if no cardiac problems. So this month goes there. At least. I hope they skip Tour right away and try to bring Vuelta nicely to the table if recovery goes ok.

Already been confirmed: no tour, no vuelta. No Dauphiné either, as it comes too soon.

 

[houtdffan]

Already been confirmed: no tour, no vuelta. No Dauphiné either, as it comes too soon.

Lefevre didn't rule out the Dauphine. He said it was too early to determine

 

[memyselfandI]

When Dauphine starts he's got four days of normal training after covid if they go by the book.. Of course it depends if disease is above or belove the neck. It can be quite hard if no vaccine used at all, did SQS them at all?

 

[houtdffan]

When Dauphine starts he's got four days of normal training after covid if they go by the book.. Of course it depends if disease is above or belove the neck. It can be quite hard if no vaccine used at all, did SQS them at all?

Evenepoel was vaccinated back in 2021

 

[peterfin]

Remco had lunch today in one of my favourite local cafe's. He is looking good (see picture). Don't worry about covid.

 

[Andre]

I didn't know he was taller than her

 

[Aimar16]

I didn't know he was taller than her

Looks like he's wearing elevator sneakers

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Already been confirmed: no tour, no vuelta. No Dauphiné either, as it comes too soon.

Serge Pauwels, assistent coach for Belgian Cycling, just said he assumes what i already expected. Nothing has been decided, Lefevere is just fed up with the press asking him about Evenepoel and wants them to back off.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Some Italian media are reporting that RCS payed Remco 1M to race the Giro. Take it with a grain of salt, but if that's true it's just absurd.
Lefevre will be mad once he finds out that they payed nearly all the money to the rider and he only got peanuts.

Lefevere supposedly commented on this. He didn't divulge the amount (but he didn't deny it) but it wasn't for the Giro, it was a package deal for all RCS races and not just for Evenepoel. So that includes UAE Tour, Giro, Lombardia... but also MSR etc.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

​

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/Csl3V5vtoaa

"So,​

It’s difficult to decide where to start.

But let’s start with the positive news. After today’s check-ups and medical screenings, I got the green light to start training again and to think about new goals. I should thank in first place my wife & parents for the support they gave me the last few days. Also my closest family members & friends really supported me a lot and well!

Also people to thank: my teammates and team members of @soudalquickstepteam!

Then, my feelings after having to abandon the Giro. Definitely one of the hardest setbacks in my still very short career. Leaving the race with a COVID-19 infection was a very brutal end of what could have been a beautiful story. 6 months of full preparation for only this race. Sacrifices, long days in the rain, long periods away from home. Everything was going according plan but that is how sport goes. Ups & downs are part of our job and I can accept that without any problem at all. What is hard to accept is all the fake and negative comments I got after having to leave the race. I am not the type of person that is going to hide or is afraid of losing. So this is for those thinking that. The last days were emotionally very hard because of these comments. But I will take those moments with me on the bike, preparing for my next goals and races.

So, I just want to ask everyone to remember I am not a robot, but also a normal human being, husband, son, teammate etc. with normal feelings.

I am really looking forward to set some new goals and feel ready to make it a beautiful second part of this till now beautiful season.

See you soon." ​

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So, he's not a robot. I know someone here on the forum is going to be disappointed.

 

[Andy schleck]

I bet he is going to the Tour. It's all bluff. I don't buy the narrative of no Grand tour race this year. They will announce remco in the tour, when we get close to the start of the tour.

 

[LucVdB]

"What is hard to accept is all the fake and negative comments [...]"

'Fake comments' had me frowning for a second.
Perhaps this is a translation of the wrong homonym in 'valse opmerkingen', which in this context would be 'mean or malicious comments'.