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

[Oldermanish]

If Evenepoel doesn't get dropped on La Redoute, the only chance of Pogacar dropping him, would be on the steep section of RaF. If you think anything else, you clearly have not been paying attention the past 5 years. Not only that, he would have to drop him hard, or Evenepoel would close the gap on the flatter sections.
And there is also quite the difference between knowing the route as a spectator, and having it as your training ground. Especially since Evenepoel had not ridden it before, not even raced in France before.

But if you want to compare Evenepoel in PN, which anyone could see was not him in peak shape, to Pogacar in LBL, then that is your prerogative.

Thanks for considering my observations and opinion.
As for Evenepoel not knowing the course: he's a pro now and a big boy. You ride two laps and you'd better know the course and your DS can have intel on every key corner. Not an excuse.
That said; he was not letting Mateo out of his sight and worked to maintain contact on some descents because of that local familiarity.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Pog would be the favorite because he is still faster at the line. But i doubt either would permanently drop the other. Or better, i doubt Evenepoel would drop Pogacar on the climbs, and i doubt Pogacar would drop Evenepoel hard enough so that he can't come back.

Agreed. Top-form Remco could probably be up there with Pog. Even losing small time on climbs could be compensasted by his bullet-man abilities. Both finishing together is a plausible scenario (with Pog likely winning the sprint).

OTOH I don't think anybody else could match them. I'm not that confident in Roglic abilities during long classics (despite him winning the race once).

 

[peterfin]

Remco is back on Strava

 

[Berniece]

Remco is back on Strava

Nice, back on the road. Can’t wait to see him in Dauphine or Suisse again.

 

[houtdffan]

Nice, back on the road. Can’t wait to see him in Dauphine or Suisse again.

should be Dauphine. Actually have a decent TT there. TTs are much shorter than normal at Suisse

 

[Kwaremonster]

Evenepoel and Pogacar is beginning to look like Froome vs Contador in the tour as the duel that never really happened (I mean that did happen but there was always an excuse to be made on behalf on contador). Ofcourse you could argue both are not even half way their careers.

 

[Berniece]

should be Dauphine. Actually have a decent TT there. TTs are much shorter than normal at Suisse

Dauphine would be best, but if he isn’t ready yet I don’t mind him doing a bit more altitude training. The goal is TDF, and he should do whatever is best for that.

 

[Andre]

Dauphine would be best, but if he isn’t ready yet I don’t mind him doing a bit more altitude training. The goal is TDF, and he should do whatever is best for that.

I just hope that he can get back to a strong level of fitness, and that the crash hasn't slowed down his progress towards TDF

 

[Berniece]

I just hope that he can get back to a strong level of fitness, and that the crash hasn't slowed down his progress towards TDF

Unless they are lying he should be fine. He’s already training outside again.

 

[peterfin]

Unless they are lying he should be fine. He’s already training outside again.

His training today looks very reassuring to me. We will see him in the Dauphine.

 

[Oldermanish]

should be Dauphine. Actually have a decent TT there. TTs are much shorter than normal at Suisse

TT could be a little harder on that collarbone unless it's completely stable, especially with Remco's position on the bike.

 

[Oldermanish]

I just hope that he can get back to a strong level of fitness, and that the crash hasn't slowed down his progress towards TDF

Probably not that much for the TDF results but the GC fitness he'll have to reconfirm for himself.

 

[Berniece]

During an interview with Lefevere he said that after another lacklustre Roubaix Evenepoel texted him that he would like to focus on more classics next season. He might race MSR and De Ronde next year.

 

[AmRacer]

During an interview with Lefevere he said that after another lacklustre Roubaix Evenepoel texted him that he would like to focus on more classics next season. He might race MSR and De Ronde next year.

Remco, Mathieu and Poggi park the peloton at Poggio.

 

[shadowrider]

should be Dauphine. Actually have a decent TT there. TTs are much shorter than normal at Suisse

He will only ride Dauphiné when ready. The TT is not an argument at all in the actual circumstances.

 

[shadowrider]

I also don’t think Pogacar would drop Evenepoel or Roglic on LBL on sunday, and i don’t think Pogacar is much more stronger than the past years, in the sense he can get big gaps against his opponents.

Of course Pogacar is pushing more watts this year, compared to last year, but everybody in the peloton is pushing more watts, year after year, so all gets balanced.

The scenario they were talking about is if after some climb, like for example cote de la redoute, where Pogacar gets 5/10 s on Evenepoel, if more later in the flat section, Evenepoel can close the gap.
Well, in my opinion, i don’t think he could, and i would think the same if it's vice versa, because when you are dropped, it means you are in the red, and the rider who get's in front, is more fresher. It's a different scenario from a ITT where naturally, Evenepoel will beat Pogacar.

Indeed. After being dropped (10 seconds or more) on la Redoute, one has to recover. Losing another 15 to 20 seconds (maybe even being overtaken by the group behind) in the next kilometers. Coming back a bit on grinta and TT-modus before the "Roche aux faucons". Losing time again on the climb. So, losing time (15 to 20 seconds) on la Redoute, it will not be possible (for Evenepoel or vice-versa Pogacar) to come back. But only losing 5 seconds, either Evenepoel or Poga will come back. Resulting in an attack with two and sprinting for victory.

 

[Berniece]

Indeed. After being dropped (10 seconds or more) on la Redoute, one has to recover. Losing another 15 to 20 seconds (maybe even being overtaken by the group behind) in the next kilometers. Coming back a bit on grinta and TT-modus before the "Roche aux faucons". Losing time again on the climb. So, losing time (15 to 20 seconds) on la Redoute, it will not be possible (for Evenepoel or vice-versa Pogacar) to come back. But only losing 5 seconds, either Evenepoel or Poga will come back. Resulting in an attack with two and sprinting for victory.

But all depends on if the rider tried to follow the other one and completely went in the red, or set his own pace.

 

[KZD]

Personally I think it would make a lot of sense for Remco to ride a similar spring season to Pogačar's 2022 and 2023 calendar.

Apart from his Vuelta win, all of his biggest wins have come in one-day races and given that the team has been underperforming on these races for a few years I would expand Remco classics season to Sanremo and Flanders not just the Ardennes.

If we are lucky we might see Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pogačar, Remco and Pedersen all riding Sanremo and Flanders (maybe E3 too).

 

[AmRacer]

I wounder, will Remco be at altitude camp before MSR and peak for both races?

 

[shadowrider]

But all depends on if the rider tried to follow the other one and completely went in the red, or set his own pace.

Neither Evenepoel nor Pogacar would have set their own pace, but would have gone go to the limit to come back or only losing a few seconds at the top of la Redoute.

 

[Berniece]

Neither Evenepoel nor Pogacar would have set their own pace, but would have gone go to the limit to come back or only losing a few seconds at the top of la Redoute.

I agree, both of them also never had to go to their limit to stay away from others. So it could be that they just follow each other

 

[AmRacer]

Any updates?

 

[Valanga]

Any updates?

3 days without Remco news is too much?

I can tell you he's at home doing long outdoor rides again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[AmRacer]

3 days without Remco news is too much?

I can tell you he's at home doing long outdoor rides again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Getting himself ready for the team altitude camp in May, I'd assume.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Any updates?

Yes, his 2nd luitenant for the TDF beat Ayuso, Yates, Yates, Hindley, Hart, Mas, Bernal, Gaudu, Carapaz, Martinez, Sivakov and Arensman in Romandie.