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

[peterfin]

What, you think if he rides the Tour this year, that he knows next year's route? Of course Pogacar would say that, because a suboptimal Evenepoel would be more of a ally for him than a rival. All the pressure would be on Vingegaard's shoulders and Jumbo would need to control not just Pog, but also Evenepoel.

No I am saying that they can prepare the tour of next year in all its detail and still miss a clear opportunity by not racing this one and also face risks because not everything goes to plan. And yes of course Remco would be more of an ally for Pogacar but the opposite is also true. Moreover, Pogacar may be suboptimal as well.

We can rationalize why Remco shouldn't do the tour but unless an optimal preparation for the WC and the Vuelta are somehow so much more valuable for him it's just a bad deal for his career. I assume going to the tour is not a good deal for PL and that is unfortunately what counts.

 

[Andre]

Roglic only won because he didn't crash.

Roglic won because Remco celebrated a stage win

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

No I am saying that they can prepare the tour of next year in all its detail and still miss a clear opportunity by not racing this one and also face risks because not everything goes to plan. And yes of course Remco would be more of an ally for Pogacar but the opposite is also true. Moreover, Pogacar may be suboptimal as well.

We can rationalize why Remco shouldn't do the tour but unless an optimal preparation for the WC and the Vuelta are somehow so much more valuable for him it's just a bad deal for his career. I assume going to the tour is not a good deal for PL and that is unfortunately what counts.

Why on earth would sending him to the Tour be a bad move for PL? He needs the money, it would please the sponsors.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I don't get the peak for 4 month thing. This is not a peak for 4 months, this is a rider who abandoned after 9 stages, got COVID and now is trying to build his form up again after being inactive for a while.

This is hat Roglic has done for a couple of seasons: been really good in the spring, building for Dauphine, been close to peak at Dauphine, done the Tour in peak condition, crashed, inactive, building for Vuelta and winning the Vuelta.

I absolutely hate all this nonsense keep the pressure off, start money discussions, only racing if he's the favorite etc. God damn its tiring to read this thread.

 

[red_flanders]

What, you think if he rides the Tour this year, that he knows next year's route? Of course Pogacar would say that, because a suboptimal Evenepoel would be more of a ally for him than a rival. All the pressure would be on Vingegaard's shoulders and Jumbo would need to control not just Pog, but also Evenepoel.

Pogačar says that because he likes to race and he doesn't get why anyone wouldn't race the Tour if they could. Especially someone as good and as exciting as Remco. He's not examining the subtlety of race tactics. He's just a guy who loves to race. That simple.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pogačar says that because he likes to race and he doesn't get why anyone wouldn't race the Tour if they could. Especially someone as good and as exciting as Remco. He's not examining the subtlety of race tactics. He's just a guy who loves to race. That simple.

Ok Tadej, sorry i read too much into your comment.

 

[Andre]

I don't get the peak for 4 month thing. This is not a peak for 4 months, this is a rider who abandoned after 9 stages, got COVID and now is trying to build his form up again after being inactive for a while.

This is hat Roglic has done for a couple of seasons: been really good in the spring, building for Dauphine, been close to peak at Dauphine, done the Tour in peak condition, crashed, inactive, building for Vuelta and winning the Vuelta.

I absolutely hate all this nonsense keep the pressure off, start money discussions, only racing if he's the favorite etc. God damn its tiring to read this thread.

Roglic was not going to win La Vuelta last year no matter what. Remco was successful beyond dreams last year, wanted to win Il Giro this year but illness got in the way, and now it's too late to get in top shape for Le Tour. The only thing I'm upset about is that he might not race La Vuelta this year...Lefevbere excuses are ridiculous saying that nobody wants to see Remco win La Vuelta again, (that's a cover up for something) I don't know. Once he had to abandon in Italy due to Corona I was certain he would skip the Tour and enter La Vuelta...but oh well...there will be many more big races that young Remco will see victory in. He already has LBL and this season can still be admirably impressive even with all the missed opportunities. I'm glad we will see him in Suisse in a few days; I expect him to win it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don't get the peak for 4 month thing. This is not a peak for 4 months, this is a rider who abandoned after 9 stages, got COVID and now is trying to build his form up again after being inactive for a while.

This is hat Roglic has done for a couple of seasons: been really good in the spring, building for Dauphine, been close to peak at Dauphine, done the Tour in peak condition, crashed, inactive, building for Vuelta and winning the Vuelta.

I see, so Roglic' Vuelta form when he won was actually him at 100% condition. So him winning on boniseconds of Carapaz, beating an 80 year old Valverde by only a minute more than what he took in the TT, that was basically Roglic at his best. Well, in that case the poor sucker never stood a chance to win the TDF.

 

[red_flanders]

Ok Tadej, sorry i read too much into your comment.

Oh, sorry. Didn't realize you could read his mind but I couldn't.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Oh, sorry. Didn't realize you could read his mind but I couldn't.

Mine was a suggestion, hence the phrasing "would". Yours was a claim.

 

[red_flanders]

Mine was a suggestion, hence the phrasing "would". Yours was a claim.

Argue semantics with someone else. I gave my opinion you gave yours.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Argue semantics with someone else. I gave my opinion you gave yours.

That's a shame, i like arguing semantics when people act condescending.

 

[houtdffan]

Eerst Ronde van Zwitserland, nadien Vuelta? Remco Evenepoel overweegt zijn titel te verdedigen in Spanje

Na weken van gespeculeer heeft Remco Evenepoel zijn wedstrijdprogramma van de komende maanden bekend gemaakt. Volgend weekend hervat hij in de Ronde van Zwitserland. Nadien volgen de Belgische en wereldkampioenschappen op de weg en tegen de klok. Geen Tour dus, maar volgens onze informatie is de...

www.hln.be

Vuelta seems to be in play

 

[red_flanders]

Eerst Ronde van Zwitserland, nadien Vuelta? Remco Evenepoel overweegt zijn titel te verdedigen in Spanje

Na weken van gespeculeer heeft Remco Evenepoel zijn wedstrijdprogramma van de komende maanden bekend gemaakt. Volgend weekend hervat hij in de Ronde van Zwitserland. Nadien volgen de Belgische en wereldkampioenschappen op de weg en tegen de klok. Geen Tour dus, maar volgens onze informatie is de...

www.hln.be

Vuelta seems to be in play

Thx for the link. Good. Sure hope so, can't fathom why he wouldn't.

 

[houtdffan]

Thx for the link. Good. Sure hope so, can't fathom why he wouldn't.

agreed 100%.

This could give him 2 mini-Merckx seasons. Next year, he should do a full Merckx schedule. Do a full spring, then a giro/tour double. By a full spring, I mean TA, MSR, Flanders, then the Ardennes

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pogacar doesn't get it either why Remco doesn't go to the tour. I am pretty sure Remco has the same feeling but, don't worry, the team strategists have it all worked out! Next year he will start in the perfect shape and he will know every corner and dog! The anticipation will be sky high and he will have zero experience in the biggest cycling show on Earth but that's all irrelevant for the team.

After defending his Tour crown, next year fulfilled Vingegaard will get back to a calm fisherman's life.
Pogacar, after another year of Merckxian craziness, will be a crippled (he's almost there already) and burnt-out, old man.
Then Remco, a new sheriff in town, will enter the scene and beat all those wannabes at the Tour!

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I thought I read that PL said that he wouldn't do the Vuelta, as he has already won that race. But he will ride San Sebastian, which he has never won before . C,mon dude, ride some races and start living up to your thread name. Just race. It doesn't matter if you don't win, it's the taking part that matters. Well, that's what they told me a school .

 

[Red Rick]

How much is it not just Lefevere angling for Vuelta appearance fees.

 

[peterfin]

How much is it not just Lefevere angling for Vuelta appearance fees.

Good point. His press communications are part of his negotiation tactics.

 

[wickedw]

The latest column in Het Nieuwsblad of Lefevre points to the real problem. Apparantly Lefevre got a good deal from the organizers of the Belgium tour for Remco while the TdS only offered the base starting money of 8500 euro. This time Remco and his coach could convince him to go to the TdS but he made it clear that this is more the exception than the rule. So basically a few ten thousands euro's define Remco's calendar and as such his career.

Kind of confirms what I've been saying for a while, he is using Remco's image to make money and has absolutely zero concern for the development of his career. He knows that there is no way an extension will be signed so he has to cash in while he can.

 

[rallybanana]

I don't think Remco will do this year's Vuelta as a couple of stages pass through France and he seems to be trying to avoid that country. Has he even raced in France since turning pro?

 

[Venge 82]

According to PCS, 1 single time (chrono des Nations).

 

[Mayomaniac]

Who even gets the starting money lol.

Lefevre running stuff like a small Italian PCT team and openly talking about it. I can't imagine that sponsors are actually happy with him always running his mouth and talking bs. He's the anti-Saronni. Saronni usually talked nice and reasonable stuff (besides throwing Aru under the bus during the 2020 Tour on live tv), but couldn't manage a Lidl store properly.

 

[rallybanana]

According to PCS, 1 single time (chrono des Nations).

Strictly speaking, time-trialing is a competition but not a race. So he still has to make his French pro-racing debut

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Strictly speaking, time-trialing is a competition but not a race. So he still has to make his French pro-racing debut

Chrono des nations is a pro race and winning it counts as a pro win, just like winning world ITT championships. So it's his only pro race day in France. Stop with this 'competition but not a race' nonsense and go have some fun on a nice Saturday.