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

[Gigs_98]

Looking at his palmares, it's actually quite interesting that despite winning the Vuelta and overall a ton of stage races, this would be by far his 2nd biggest gc win. If I counted correctly he has so far won 11 stage races, with the biggest obviously being the Vuelta and the 2nd biggest something like the Tour de Pologne in 2020? The Tour de Suisse would certainly look nice on his palmares

Too bad he can't win because he ran into the juggernaut that is Felix Gall

 

[Extinction]

He wasn't that good today. I they race properly tomorrow I can see him lose a minute. If he's able to finish with the leaders again, then TDS is in the bag

He's not that sharp, as to be expected after the aborted Giro, but he is there and rode intelligently today. Good boy.

 

[hayneplane]

He's not that sharp, as to be expected after the aborted Giro, but he is there and rode intelligently today. Good boy.

Yeah a much more mature and rational ride than usual and he avoided trying to close the gaps too quickly and violently that could have put him in the red and buried him conclusively. In the end the others will regret not sharing the pacesetting to drop him significantly.

 

[Andre]

I like the way Remco fought back and I'm very pleased that he's developed a good kick towards the end of races. Good job.

 

[Oldermanish]

I like the way Remco fought back and I'm very pleased that he's developed a good kick towards the end of races. Good job.

After today's stage he's now acknowledging the need to modulate his effort to stay in the race and within probable TT gains on those ahead of him. That said, if he follows the appropriate wheels and kicks to gain valuable seconds will the naysayers question his panache and call him a wheelsucker? It seems he's learned what many derided a recovering Roglic for practicing.
Now; he needs to take this to a Vuelta 3 week test against harder competition.

 

[Big Doopie]

Yeah a much more mature and rational ride than usual and he avoided trying to close the gaps too quickly and violently that could have put him in the red and buried him conclusively.

Agreed.

However, this is precisely why I don’t want his sole focus each season to be on GTs. I prefer the irrational immature rides that give us all these amazing vintage solo wins. The epitome of panache. No one does that better.

 

[Extinction]

After today's stage he's now acknowledging the need to modulate his effort to stay in the race and within probable TT gains on those ahead of him. That said, if he follows the appropriate wheels and kicks to gain valuable seconds will the naysayers question his panache and call him a wheelsucker? It seems he's learned what many derided a recovering Roglic for practicing.
Now; he needs to take this to a Vuelta 3 week test against harder competition.

No, wheelsucking is beyond criticism when you can only hold on. In other words, when there is no other choice. By contrast, when it's a strategy some will disapprove.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So Remco going toe to toe with the Flying Dane. He shouldn't have problems with beating the poor man's Sklejmose at the Tour.

 

[Extinction]

Agreed.

However, this is precisely why I don’t want his sole focus each season to be on GTs. I prefer the irrational immature rides that give us all these amazing vintage solo wins. The epitome of panache. No one does that better.

Panache elsewhere gets old though when you state you want to win all 3 GTs and are of the calibre to have such ambitions. All panache is welcome, but for him GTs are inevitably the calling. De Vlaeminck had panache too, but, leaving Merckx aside, Hinault had even more, because he was the more complete rider, which only winning GTs demonstrates.

And according to Giumard, Evenepoel is better than Hinault. So you draw the conclusions.

 

[Salvarani]

Panache elsewhere gets old though when you state you want to win all 3 GTs and are of the calibre to have such ambitions. All panache is welcome, but for him GTs are inevitably the calling. De Vlaeminck had panache too, but, leaving Merckx aside, Hinault had even more, because he was the more complete rider, which only winning GTs demonstrates.

And according to Giumard, Evenepoel is better than Hinault. So you draw the conclusions.

Hinaults record in GTs is crazy.

DNF, one time.

Two times finished 2nd.

The rest he won.

 

[red_flanders]

After today's stage he's now acknowledging the need to modulate his effort to stay in the race and within probable TT gains on those ahead of him. That said, if he follows the appropriate wheels and kicks to gain valuable seconds will the naysayers question his panache and call him a wheelsucker? It seems he's learned what many derided a recovering Roglic for practicing.
Now; he needs to take this to a Vuelta 3 week test against harder competition.

First, I don't begrudge Rogič, Valverde, or anyone else who has a fast finish for using it. You want to beat those guys, you have to drop them. Only time they should work is to keep someone just as fast from re-joining a front group. Otherwise, sit on and sprint for the win. Of course.

That said, ya can't really call Evenepoel a wheelsucker because he started this race attacking. Now he's sitting on. And the dude has attacked enough already in his career that it would be pretty hard to ever accuse him of being a wheelsucker.

I tend to think "wheelsucker" is a term used by people who never raced, or racers who couldn't drop a faster guy. Typical roadie whining at it's finest...

 

[Extinction]

First, I don't begrudge Rogič, Valverde, or anyone else who has a fast finish for using it. You want to beat those guys, you have to drop them. Only time they should work is to keep someone just as fast from re-joining a front group. Otherwise, sit on and sprint for the win. Of course.

That said, ya can't really call Evenepoel a wheelsucker because he started this race attacking. Now he's sitting on. And the dude has attacked enough already in his career that it would be pretty hard to ever accuse him of being a wheelsucker.

I tend to think "wheelsucker" is a term used by people who never raced, or racers who couldn't drop a faster guy. Typical roadie whining at it's finest...

But of course, it's just a comical dig. The reality is that you have to learn the art of wheelsucking, at times to survive, at times to play your cards when you can't just ride away. And those who have raced know this all too well.

 

[peterfin]

No, wheelsucking is beyond criticism when you can only hold on. In other words, when it's not by choice, but a strategy.

Which is a good excuse for anyone sitting in Remco's wheel of course.

 

[Extinction]

Which is a good excuse for anyone sitting in Remco's wheel of course.

Especially when he plays into their strategy.

 

[Riek s]

I don't see how he rode smarter.
On the climb he just wasn't good enough to follow, let alone do something.
After the final climb, he did most of the real pacing in the group, aka wasting resources. (because the leader in the race didn't want to ride). In the end he won the sprint of the group which he even started to early according to me.

I don't see any resemblance of a wheelsucker the way he rode. (unfortunatly. Maybe Big Doopie is right, maybe he can only learn that by riding the TDF)

 

[KenFiamingo]

Hinaults record in GTs is crazy.

DNF, one time.

Two times finished 2nd.

The rest he won.

So is Remco's.

2 DNF, the rest he won.

 

[Red Rick]

Looking at his palmares, it's actually quite interesting that despite winning the Vuelta and overall a ton of stage races, this would be by far his 2nd biggest gc win. If I counted correctly he has so far won 11 stage races, with the biggest obviously being the Vuelta and the 2nd biggest something like the Tour de Pologne in 2020? The Tour de Suisse would certainly look nice on his palmares

Too bad he can't win because he ran into the juggernaut that is Felix Gall

How is it interesting? He didn't hit the the climbing level required until like a year ago and has only done like 3 WT level 1 week since.

 

[Oldermanish]

I don't see how he rode smarter.
On the climb he just wasn't good enough to follow, let alone do something.
After the final climb, he did most of the real pacing in the group, aka wasting resources. (because the leader in the race didn't want to ride). In the end he won the sprint of the group which he even started to early according to me.

I don't see any resemblance of a wheelsucker the way he rode. (unfortunatly. Maybe Big Doopie is right, maybe he can only learn that by riding the TDF)

I haven't seen it but the description suggested the hills were well contested. Pacing a group on a climb, absent a headwind can be an energy saver since a strong rider can modulate speed and discourage tempo changes because combatants fear they're being set up. Again, relying on the race description here the times Remco was gapped was after aggressive tempo changes mostly by Bardet. Bardet is notorious for quick acceleration on steep ramps and then stalling.
So, no; I wasn't suggesting he wheelsucks nor do I think Roglic does.

 

[Big Doopie]

Hinaults record in GTs is crazy.

DNF, one time.

Two times finished 2nd.

The rest he won.

i have always thought that Hinault is arguably the greatest TdF rider of all time.

5 wins, 2 second places and a DNF.

However, he also wore the yellow jersey in all 8 appearances between 1978 and 1986. was held out of one when still fairly in his prime in 1983 because of injury.

One could also argue that he might have won 1977 as well had he competed (as he beat Thevenet beforehand at the Dauphine).

the only thing going up against the above record is that his four first wins were against arguably mediocre competition in that they were riders considered from Merckx's generation (Zoetemelk, Van Impe, Agostinho, etc...). and the fifth he won not in small part because his competition was on his own team.

 

[ManicJack]

Agreed.

However, this is precisely why I don’t want his sole focus each season to be on GTs.

Yeah, we get it. Repeating it every 5 posts is....... repetitive.

 

[Extinction]

I don't see how he rode smarter.
On the climb he just wasn't good enough to follow, let alone do something.
After the final climb, he did most of the real pacing in the group, aka wasting resources. (because the leader in the race didn't want to ride). In the end he won the sprint of the group which he even started to early according to me.

I don't see any resemblance of a wheelsucker the way he rode. (unfortunatly. Maybe Big Doopie is right, maybe he can only learn that by riding the TDF)

He managed his effort better, making the most of the legs he had (unlike yesterday), didn't panic when dropped, got second in the end. I'd say that's smarter.

 

[Hugh Januss]

He managed his effort better, making the most of the legs he had (unlike yesterday), didn't panic when dropped, got second in the end. I'd say that's smarter.

He has peculiar legs, to keep coming back and then dusting everyone near him in the last hundred meters is unusual. He's like a Mack truck with a sprint. I wonder if he has some sort of longer term issue with covid that is keeping him just under his best level. It doesn't seem like it's just a lack of miles.

 

[Extinction]

He has peculiar legs, to keep coming back and then dusting everyone near him in the last hundred meters is unusual. He's like a Mack truck with a sprint. I wonder if he has some sort of longer term issue with covid that is keeping him just under his best level. It doesn't seem like it's just a lack of miles.

I don't think Covid is the issue, but coming in not ideally prepared, unlike those going to the Tour.

 

[Big Doopie]

Yeah, we get it. Repeating it every 5 posts is....... repetitive.

Ooooooooooooh, how sweet. making friends again in just a few short posts. thank god you entered the fray after (supposedly) "lurking" for many a year. ;-)

Strange that about a dozen posters here have repeated ad nauseum about how they feel that Remco must test himself at the TdF this year, and yet not a peep out of you complaining of the incredible redundancy.

i guess it's only worth getting your panties in a twist if you disagree with the post.

there might be a position here for you as a moderator. seems very much your style. (Oh, no I didn't!)

you are very funny. perhaps my new favorite!

But, I am so sorry, time for me to click that "ignore button".

Have a fabulous life! Cheerio!

 

[houtdffan]

He has peculiar legs, to keep coming back and then dusting everyone near him in the last hundred meters is unusual. He's like a Mack truck with a sprint. I wonder if he has some sort of longer term issue with covid that is keeping him just under his best level. It doesn't seem like it's just a lack of miles.

Nah. We're just seeing Remco's base level. That's still good enough to win a week long WT race