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

[Venge 82]

Sky/Ineos have done it before. They 'bought' Wiggins from Vaughters. They and UAE are probably the only teams with the budget to do so, because of course Lefevere won't just let him go. Unless there's a clause in his contract that says he's free to go if there's an offer he can't refuse.

Would be something between 5 and 10 M €.

 

[Luthor]

Article last week in BE newspaper (25/05/2023):
Het zit Lefevere zo hoog dat hij dinsdag rond de tafel zat met Remco Evenepoel en vader Patrick, tevens manager van zijn zoon. “Ik heb eerst Remco apart gesproken en ik heb gezegd dat die geruchten over Ineos moeten stoppen. Want dat zorgt alleen maar voor nervositeit bij de mensen. Daarna heb ik Patrick gevraagd om die geruchten op de een of andere manier de kop moeten indrukken.”
Bij Het Nieuwsblad bevestigt Patrick Evenepoel de Britse interesse van Ineos, al zegt hij ook dat er nog nooit een concreet bod is gekomen. Vader Evenepoel stelt bovendien dat hij ook al met andere ploegen, die op zoek zijn naar een potentiële rondewinnaar, gesproken heeft. “Praten kost geen geld. Weet wel dat Remco’s hart nog steeds bij Soudal – Quick-Step ligt. Zoals Romelu Lukaku’s hart bij Anderlecht ligt, maar hij speelt wel de finale van de Champions League met Inter Milan. Dat grote doel kon hij bij zijn lievelingsclub niet bereiken.”

Translation:
It bothers Lefevere so much that on Tuesday he sat around the table with Remco Evenepoel and father Patrick, who is also his son's manager. "I first spoke to Remco separately and I said that those rumours about Ineos have to stop. Because that only makes people nervous. Then I asked Patrick to somehow have to stop those rumours."

At Het Nieuwsblad, Patrick Evenepoel confirms Ineos' British interest, although he also says that no concrete offer has ever been made. Father Evenepoel also states that he has already spoken to other teams looking for a potential Tour winner as well. "Talking doesn't cost money. Just know that Remco's heart is still with Soudal - Quick-Step. Just as Romelu Lukaku's heart is with Anderlecht, but he is playing the Champions League final with Inter Milan. He couldn't achieve that big goal at his favourite club."

That's not really stopping the rumours...

That Lukaku comparison from his father kinda admits that SQS is not good enough for him to achieve the big goal. Remco's heart means jack *** for Lefevere.

 

[theyoungest]

Article last week in BE newspaper (25/05/2023):
Het zit Lefevere zo hoog dat hij dinsdag rond de tafel zat met Remco Evenepoel en vader Patrick, tevens manager van zijn zoon. “Ik heb eerst Remco apart gesproken en ik heb gezegd dat die geruchten over Ineos moeten stoppen. Want dat zorgt alleen maar voor nervositeit bij de mensen. Daarna heb ik Patrick gevraagd om die geruchten op de een of andere manier de kop moeten indrukken.”
Bij Het Nieuwsblad bevestigt Patrick Evenepoel de Britse interesse van Ineos, al zegt hij ook dat er nog nooit een concreet bod is gekomen. Vader Evenepoel stelt bovendien dat hij ook al met andere ploegen, die op zoek zijn naar een potentiële rondewinnaar, gesproken heeft. “Praten kost geen geld. Weet wel dat Remco’s hart nog steeds bij Soudal – Quick-Step ligt. Zoals Romelu Lukaku’s hart bij Anderlecht ligt, maar hij speelt wel de finale van de Champions League met Inter Milan. Dat grote doel kon hij bij zijn lievelingsclub niet bereiken.”

Translation:
It bothers Lefevere so much that on Tuesday he sat around the table with Remco Evenepoel and father Patrick, who is also his son's manager. "I first spoke to Remco separately and I said that those rumours about Ineos have to stop. Because that only makes people nervous. Then I asked Patrick to somehow have to stop those rumours."

At Het Nieuwsblad, Patrick Evenepoel confirms Ineos' British interest, although he also says that no concrete offer has ever been made. Father Evenepoel also states that he has already spoken to other teams looking for a potential Tour winner as well. "Talking doesn't cost money. Just know that Remco's heart is still with Soudal - Quick-Step. Just as Romelu Lukaku's heart is with Anderlecht, but he is playing the Champions League final with Inter Milan. He couldn't achieve that big goal at his favourite club."

That's not really stopping the rumours...

Just know that Remco's heart is still with Soudal - Quick-Step. Just as Romelu Lukaku's heart is with Anderlecht, but he is playing the Champions League final with Inter Milan.

Ouch... Quickstep as the Anderlecht of cycling.

I do think Evenepoel is very much a Lefevere fan, he also really sees Jumbo as the enemy. Even though Jumbo probably doesn't reciprocate that feeling, they don't really see Quickstep as the main antagonist.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Quite recently, the two Tours won by Pogacar weren't necessarily down to team strength. Especially the first one. He did use the strength of a team, but not his own.

Pogacar is clearly an extreme outlier, and even then UAE's signings after last year's Tour showed they weren't content with what they had.

 

[Extinction]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhACgxrEHds

That's classic Don Patrick! But I didn't quite get who he was referring to with Ineos and someone who won't look at him. Anybody?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Well, anderlecjt is not so bad. They won the most of any belgian team. Just belgians arent very good in football. Just as quickstep win the most in Belgium, but they struggle a bit in biggest races where remco want to be.

Surely Levefere can get rid of some classics dead wood. Sell Stemle, Van tricht, Cerny, Senechal, Jakobson, etc. And sign de plus, castrovejo, taramae, Konrad, De la cruz. Elissonde, Storer.

 

[Red Rick]

Sounds like a ploy to get more money/more investment into the team.

Its very basic football stuff

 

[Mayomaniac]

Well, anderlecjt is not so bad. They won the most of any belgian team. Just belgians arent very good in football. Just as quickstep win the most in Belgium, but they struggle a bit in biggest races where remco want to be.

Surely Levefere can get rid of some classics dead wood. Sell Stemle, Van tricht, Cerny, Senechal, Jakobson, etc. And sign de plus, castrovejo, taramae, Konrad, De la cruz. Elissonde, Storer.

I think De Plus will be rather expensive after the Giro. Castrovejo and Rein are 36, De la Cruz is 34, those aren't exactly long term investments.

Overall I really think if Remco leaves it's not about money, if you're already on a seven figure contract it becomes less important. It's about maximising his chances to potentially win the Tour. Also, no longer being on a Belgian team and potentially moving away will probably help with the media attention in Belgium.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Sounds like a ploy to get more money/more investment into the team.

Its very basic football stuff

I was thinking about that too, get Soudal and Quickstep to pump more money into the team.

Then again, the whole way Lefevre and Remco's entourage often interact with the media is pretty amateurish...

 

[houtdffan]

Looks like TDS is when Remco returns

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling/next-round-of-primoz-roglic-remco-evenepoels-rivalry-set-for-the-tour-de-suisse

 

[Venge 82]

No Remco in Baloise Belgium Tour and not yet confirmed for TdS...

Edit:

Ronde van Zwitserland (voorlopig) zonder Remco Evenepoel, ook Baloise Belgium Tour ziet wereldkampioen niet opduiken

De organisatie van de Ronde van Zwitserland heeft zonet via een persconferentie het voorlopige deelnemersveld van hun wedstrijd, van 11 tot 18 juni, bekendgemaakt. Daarin wordt geen melding gemaakt van de komst van Remco Evenepoel. Ook de Baloise Belgium Tour is er intussen van overtuigd dat de...

m.nieuwsblad.be

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

That's classic Don Patrick! But I didn't quite get who he was referring to with Ineos and someone who won't look at him. Anybody?

Rod Ellingworth

 

[Extinction]

Article last week in BE newspaper (25/05/2023):
Het zit Lefevere zo hoog dat hij dinsdag rond de tafel zat met Remco Evenepoel en vader Patrick, tevens manager van zijn zoon. “Ik heb eerst Remco apart gesproken en ik heb gezegd dat die geruchten over Ineos moeten stoppen. Want dat zorgt alleen maar voor nervositeit bij de mensen. Daarna heb ik Patrick gevraagd om die geruchten op de een of andere manier de kop moeten indrukken.”
Bij Het Nieuwsblad bevestigt Patrick Evenepoel de Britse interesse van Ineos, al zegt hij ook dat er nog nooit een concreet bod is gekomen. Vader Evenepoel stelt bovendien dat hij ook al met andere ploegen, die op zoek zijn naar een potentiële rondewinnaar, gesproken heeft. “Praten kost geen geld. Weet wel dat Remco’s hart nog steeds bij Soudal – Quick-Step ligt. Zoals Romelu Lukaku’s hart bij Anderlecht ligt, maar hij speelt wel de finale van de Champions League met Inter Milan. Dat grote doel kon hij bij zijn lievelingsclub niet bereiken.”

Translation:
It bothers Lefevere so much that on Tuesday he sat around the table with Remco Evenepoel and father Patrick, who is also his son's manager. "I first spoke to Remco separately and I said that those rumours about Ineos have to stop. Because that only makes people nervous. Then I asked Patrick to somehow have to stop those rumours."

At Het Nieuwsblad, Patrick Evenepoel confirms Ineos' British interest, although he also says that no concrete offer has ever been made. Father Evenepoel also states that he has already spoken to other teams looking for a potential Tour winner as well. "Talking doesn't cost money. Just know that Remco's heart is still with Soudal - Quick-Step. Just as Romelu Lukaku's heart is with Anderlecht, but he is playing the Champions League final with Inter Milan. He couldn't achieve that big goal at his favourite club."

That's not really stopping the rumours...

To the bolded, that's the perfect response. Remco's father/agent needs to let Patrick know to his face, if he can't produce the adequite situation for his son's career, then his son goes elsewhere. Period.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Rod Ellingworth

In that case he should give Rohan Dennis a phonecall. He and Rob hate eachother and he might be able to convince him to ride for a bit longer.

 

[Valv.Piti]

What about the history of the sport over the last 40 years at least does anything other than completely disprove this statement?

I think the best riders usually end up racing on the biggest teams, and I think UAE has been rather suspect, but has hasn't really mattered that much yet for Pogacar.

Heavily is an overstatement, but I think it is definitely overrated. Factors that are more important IMO is obviously the leaders level, avoiding crashes, avoiding sickness, racing in favorable weather and on a favorable route.

 

[Extinction]

I think the best riders usually end up racing on the biggest teams, and I think UAE has been rather suspect, but has hasn't really mattered that much yet for Pogacar.

Heavily is an overstatement, but I think it is definitely overrated. Factors that are more important IMO is obviously the leaders level, avoiding crashes, avoiding sickness, racing in favorable weather and on a favorable route.

So nothing ever unexpected happens in cycling. No, you need a team to back a leader and this is even more the case when something goes wrong, as so often it does. Let's say Remco wins an early TT in next year's Tour, gets yellow and then needs to defend, with Jumbo, UAE and Ineos all riding against Soudal. Moral, he's f-u-ed.

 

[red_flanders]

Looks like someone is getting nervous...

He should be. Would love to see Remco got to (*choke, cough*) Ineos. Lefevre's current stance on Remco's program this year is a joke, and the team he has assembled for GT's at this point is simply not sufficient. Ineos would up-level Remco's career in a big way.

Time to leave the nest. I hope it happens.

 

[Lequack]

No Remco in Baloise Belgium Tour and not yet confirmed for TdS...

Edit:

Ronde van Zwitserland (voorlopig) zonder Remco Evenepoel, ook Baloise Belgium Tour ziet wereldkampioen niet opduiken

De organisatie van de Ronde van Zwitserland heeft zonet via een persconferentie het voorlopige deelnemersveld van hun wedstrijd, van 11 tot 18 juni, bekendgemaakt. Daarin wordt geen melding gemaakt van de komst van Remco Evenepoel. Ook de Baloise Belgium Tour is er intussen van overtuigd dat de...

m.nieuwsblad.be

He's leaving out the biggest race in Belgium? That's like Messi not playing in the World Cup or something.

 

[Extinction]

He should be. Would love to see Remco got to (*choke, cough*) Ineos. Lefevre's current stance on Remco's program this year is a joke, and the team he has assembled for GT's at this point is simply not sufficient. Ineos would up-level Remco's career in a big way.

Time to leave the nest. I hope it happens.

Choke or pinch your nostrals? Well, without Froome, Ineos isn't the evil empire. And you are right, Patrick's view on Remco's program for the rest of the season is pathetic. Send him to the Tour for experience and to get another GT in his legs. He'll need it to be competitive against Pog and Vino next year. Or at least do the Vuelta. Time for pussyfooting around is over.

 

[peterfin]

Choke or pinch your nostrals? Well, without Froome, Ineos isn't the evil empire.

For many it would become the evil empire when it strikes back with Darth Remco in command!

 

[Extinction]

For many it would become the evil empire when it strikes back with Darth Remco in command!

Nah, Remco didn't have a strange African virus.

 

[Berniece]

Nah, Remco didn't have a strange African virus.

I think he means due to the Specialized TT helmet

 

[red_flanders]

Choke or pinch your nostrals? Well, without Froome, Ineos isn't the evil empire. And you are right, Patrick's view on Remco's program for the rest of the season is pathetic. Send him to the Tour for experience and to get another GT in his legs. He'll need it to be competitive against Pog and Vino next year. Or at least do the Vuelta. Time for pussyfooting around is over.

Well said. And yeah, Ineos don't bother me at all any more, and they're clearly a great GT team with some nice classics wins and placings. It was less Froome than all the Brailsford BS which we can't get into here. To be fair Froome was a huge part of that. Team just acted like cycling fans were brain dead and just started watching yesterday. Speaking to his constituency I guess. But no, they don't bother me any more. Was rooting for Thomas after Remco was knocked out of the Giro.

 

[Extinction]

Well said. And yeah, Ineos don't bother me at all any more, and they're clearly a great GT team with some nice classics wins and placings. It was less Froome than all the Brailsford BS which we can't get into here. To be fair Froome was a huge part of that. Team just acted like cycling fans were brain dead and just started watching yesterday. Speaking to his constituency I guess. But no, they don't bother me any more. Was rooting for Thomas after Remco was knocked out of the Giro.

I wanted to see where Geoghegan Hart would have arrived. I think in Geraint's position going into the Lussari TT, Teo wins the Giro.

 

[red_flanders]

I wanted to see where Geoghegan Hart would have arrived. I think in Geraint's position going into the Lussari TT, Teo wins the Giro.

Entirely possible. TGH has a personality that doesn't make me want to root for him (yet) but I agree he would have had every chance to win at the end.