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

[Red Rick]

Agree...to a point, and I certainly overstated it. I appreciate your comments. I would put the priorities for him as:

1. Win the Tour
2. Win Grand Tours
3. Win World Championships
4. Win Classics

Curious how others would frame it. If I were thinking about my program each season, I'd go into it with a list like this. I'd adjust with such a list in mind. Reasonable people could see his priorities differently.

You set the schedule to maximize the chances in a variety of races, where GTs are the main priority.

The weird thing to me about the discussion is basically that the Vuelta doesn't have opportunity cost as it is after the Worlds. It's also much more prestigious than the Worlds ITT and much lower variance than the Worlds RR.

The schedule is also not that different from what it is to being great in Liege ahead of the Giro. Maybe San Sebastian doesn't fit so well, and maybe if you wanna be flying from before the Vuelta then Lombardia becomes harder but Lombardia also is simply a smaller target than the Vuelta.

 

[houtdffan]

Early profiles didn't show gradients that well and IIRC it just wasn't that hard.

The final climb is 5.3km at 6.3% gradient.

The Escondida climb is 9km at 4.1. Done a few times. The Santa Maria is 5km at 5.6%. Robledondo is 4.2km at 5.9%. The final Cruz Verde is 11.8km but only 3.2% (it's a shorter Aprica)

Should be enough if raced hard to see large gaps appearing. This looks more like a hillier version of San Sabastien

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think the Vuelta route is also not very inviting with only 25km ITT and several steep climbs including Angliru. He already won it so far less incentive than before. If he crashes, he might miss Lombardia.

Could well be a blessing in disguise. No shenanigans about carrying extra weight because there are some more TT's. What a load.

It also kind of tells me that his preparation is quite heavy comparing to other GC guys which also explains why the difference in performance is so high when not prepared.

Compared to other GC guys the difference in performance is so high? Really? When he hasn't prepared for a GT he is still very much up there, unlike other GC guys who finish 15 minutes down. In UAE he wasn't at all ready yet, still he demolished the others in the echelons and only got beaten uphill by Yates, who had already been on altitude. Last year he was ~6kg above his Vuelta weight at the beginning of the season and still won Algarve, later Liège. Unless by other GC guys you mean "Pogacar".

 

[Red Rick]

The final climb is 5.3km at 6.3% gradient.

The Escondida climb is 9km at 4.1. Done a few times. The Santa Maria is 5km at 5.6%. Robledondo is 4.2km at 5.9%. The final Cruz Verde is 11.8km but only 3.2% (it's a shorter Aprica)

Should be enough if raced hard to see large gaps appearing. This looks more like a hillier version of San Sabastien

San Sebastians main climb is like 10% average for 11 minutes. And it's just that the final climbs are easy, it's that all climbs are easy, which makes it much harder to tear the peloton apart in the first place.

It should be an interesting stage, but I don't see it at all as a stage where minutes are won or lost.

 

[Andre]

The low amount of TT distance in this Vulta is ridiculous.

 

[KZD]

The low amount of TT distance in this Vulta is ridiculous.

And the worrying part is that its far from an isolated case like this year's Tour shows us.

I hope that Remco rides the Vuelta. If he wants to establish himself as one of the best Grand Tour riders in the world, he will need to start getting some results beyond his Vuelta win last year. I will go as far as to say that this year's Vuelta should take precedence over the World Championships, as the road race route doesn't suit him well and the time trial route is also not great and its a minor event when compared with the road race or the Vuelta.

As for Lombardia, he will have plenty of time to target it during his career.

 

[Big Doopie]

I will go as far as to say that this year's Vuelta should take precedence over the World Championships, as the road race route doesn't suit him well…

How so? My understanding was that it had similar elevation to last year. And he’s actually a rider that does well on simply long and hard stuff. He doesn’t need steep gradients to make a difference.

 

[Andre]

And the worrying part is that its far from an isolated case like this year's Tour shows us.

I hope that Remco rides the Vuelta. If he wants to establish himself as one of the best Grand Tour riders in the world, he will need to start getting some results beyond his Vuelta win last year. I will go as far as to say that this year's Vuelta should take precedence over the World Championships, as the road race route doesn't suit him well and the time trial route is also not great and its a minor event when compared with the road race or the Vuelta.

As for Lombardia, he will have plenty of time to target it during his career.

I see what you mean...I'm torn cause I love to see him in Champions' jersey

 

[KZD]

How so? My understanding was that it had similar elevation to last year. And he’s actually a rider that does well on simply long and hard stuff. He doesn’t need steep gradients to make a difference.

The course has 42 corners and the longest straight has 850 meters of length having been described as a cyclo cross course on asphalt. A rider like Van der Poel or even Van Aert can take many seconds on Remco on the corners each lap.

The elevation only tells you half of the story though, while last year it was a relatively flat course with a 1km climb and the downhill afterwards this year is almost always up and down and the climbs are very short, again better suited to a rider like Van der Poel.

While the Vuelta route doesn't suit Remco very well its still better than this in my opinion, he will have more opportunities to become World Champion again as this year is probably the worst course for him in years.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Weird, now all of the sudden Remco needs perfect preparation? So far he was more like Roglic/Pogacar, in that he was up there each time he started... with a few exceptions, Tirreno and TdS 2022 basically. For the rest he's mostly there... very high base level. Of course he wants to be at 100%, but it's not like he's expected to collapse and arrive 15th if he's just at 95% . It's the Vuelta, only Mas is at 100% anyway.

 

[Big Doopie]

The course has 42 corners and the longest straight has 850 meters of length having been described as a cyclo cross course on asphalt. A rider like Van der Poel or even Van Aert can take many seconds on Remco on the corners each lap.

The elevation only tells you half of the story though, while last year it was a relatively flat course with a 1km climb and the downhill afterwards this year is almost always up and down and the climbs are very short, again better suited to a rider like Van der Poel.

While the Vuelta route doesn't suit Remco very well its still better than this in my opinion, he will have more opportunities to become World Champion again as this year is probably the worst course for him in years.

R we talking RR or ITT?

In a RR not as much gained without actually dropping other riders so it’s not simply about accumulating a few seconds in corners (which does add up in an ITT). Also, in RR you have team dynamics, and Belgium arguably has the best tactical options.

Anyway, wouldn’t mind VDP, would be a deserved winner.

 

[KZD]

R we talking RR or ITT?

In a RR not as much gained without actually dropping other riders so it’s not simply about accumulating a few seconds in corners (which does add up in an ITT). Also, in RR you have team dynamics, and Belgium arguably has the best tactical options.

Anyway, wouldn’t mind VDP, would be a deserved winner.

I am talking about the road race otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned Van der Poel. The problem for Remco in the road race is that even if he drops the others in one of the short climbs, which won't be easy at all, he could still be catched in a technical zone immediately after as there is no long straights for him to use the aero bullett mode. In the time trial he will always be one of the favourites (regardless of the course) but its not really on the same league as the road race or the Vuelta.

Given that he will likely have a better road race course in Zürich, Kigali, Montreal and Haute Savoie (next 4 years), it doesn't make sense to peak for the World Championships this year, at least to me.

 

[Red Rick]

The course has 42 corners and the longest straight has 850 meters of length having been described as a cyclo cross course on asphalt. A rider like Van der Poel or even Van Aert can take many seconds on Remco on the corners each lap.

The elevation only tells you half of the story though, while last year it was a relatively flat course with a 1km climb and the downhill afterwards this year is almost always up and down and the climbs are very short, again better suited to a rider like Van der Poel.

While the Vuelta route doesn't suit Remco very well its still better than this in my opinion, he will have more opportunities to become World Champion again as this year is probably the worst course for him in years.

That also makes chasing really hard....

For an ITT it's obviously the less technical the better for Evenepoel. For the road race I think it's more about whether it's hard to do a chase and kill domestiques while not being so mountainious his advantage over guys like Pogacar simply evaporates.

 

[Riek s]

Agree...to a point, and I certainly overstated it. I appreciate your comments. I would put the priorities for him as:

1. Win the Tour
2. Win Grand Tours
3. Win World Championships
4. Win Classics

Curious how others would frame it. If I were thinking about my program each season, I'd go into it with a list like this. I'd adjust with such a list in mind. Reasonable people could see his priorities differently.

Program wise:
Spring classics + tour.
Autumn classics/wc or Vuelta depending on tour completion. ( Pog program. )

Biggest problem is the giro. You miss the beginning and the middle of the year. The moment he picked the giro we knew either he rides for the win( completing it) or he threw away many opportunities if something happened.

 

[Big Doopie]

I am talking about the road race otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned Van der Poel. The problem for Remco in the road race is that even if he drops the others in one of the short climbs, which won't be easy at all, he could still be catched in a technical zone immediately after as there is no long straights for him to use the aero bullett mode. In the time trial he will always be one of the favourites (regardless of the course) but its not really on the same league as the road race or the Vuelta.

Given that he will likely have a better road race course in Zürich, Kigali, Montreal and Haute Savoie (next 4 years), it doesn't make sense to peak for the World Championships this year, at least to me.

I guess we’ll just have to disagree. He’s much more likely to lose time in corners if there are many in an ITT relative to his opponents. However, based on the past, he does not really need any long hills to make a difference in a road race. He often attacks on the flat after a hill when everyone else is exhausted or in the red. It’s what he did literally last year. Thing is, in my opinion, his greatest strength is probably having that ability to attack several times after 200 km have already been done. That is a rare talent. Cornering really doesn’t come into it.

 

[Big Doopie]

Is he riding nat RR after his crash?

Instagram had him training using only the non-injured leg and saying “see you in Glasgow”.

 

[Berniece]

I am talking about the road race otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned Van der Poel. The problem for Remco in the road race is that even if he drops the others in one of the short climbs, which won't be easy at all, he could still be catched in a technical zone immediately after as there is no long straights for him to use the aero bullett mode. In the time trial he will always be one of the favourites (regardless of the course) but its not really on the same league as the road race or the Vuelta.

Given that he will likely have a better road race course in Zürich, Kigali, Montreal and Haute Savoie (next 4 years), it doesn't make sense to peak for the World Championships this year, at least to me.

He just wants to add WC ITT to his palmares after that he’ll only peak to WC if it fits in his schedule. Which it probably will next year if he’s going for the Tour.

Is he riding nat RR after his crash?

Instagram had him training using only the non-injured leg and saying “see you in Glasgow”.

As far as we know, yes.

 

[Riek s]

Is he riding nat RR after his crash?

Instagram had him training using only the non-injured leg and saying “see you in Glasgow”

I think it's mandatory, unless you are 'injured' like wva last year.

 

[Big Doopie]

I think it's mandatory, unless you are 'injured' like wva last year.

He’s arguably much more injured than WvA was. I don’t the National selectors would have an issue with him skipping. But I hope he can still play a part.

 

[Prim]

Does anyone know if, and where, the Belgian RR championship will be broadcasted? Can´t find it on either Eurosport or Tiz.

 

[DNP-Old]

Does anyone know if, and where, the Belgian RR championship will be broadcasted? Can´t find it on either Eurosport or Tiz.

Sporza.

 

[Berniece]

What a machine. He's going to switch jerseys this year. From NC ITT and WC to WC ITT and NC.

Or just get the WC double, who knows.

 

[kingjr]

Congratulations. Didn't see it, but what I'm reading in the live ticker sure looks impressive.

 

[KZD]

Great to see Remco finally winning the National road race title, his sprint is no longer a weakness.

 

[Riek s]

Fantastic win, in the end very close with Segaert. (what a great upcoming talent that guy, maybe someone who can contest the cobble classics and WC ITT).

Given the parcour i'm very suprised Remco nailed it. The initial parcour seemed like a sprinter fest, especially with two blocks with 11 riders and a sprinter. Yves/Wout & finally Remco really killed the peleton. What other could do based on the parcour, they did it due the heat and a frigging flat 90km or so?

I'm glad it didn't become yet another sprint victory.