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

[Akuryo]

Re:

"He is very well surrounded with people like Vanmol. Let him grow quietly and we'll see where it takes him, "says De Weert.

Now this is quite funny, even though that discussion is probably for another section of the forum.

 

[Bolder]

What's interesting is how he's really being treated with kid gloves, as we say. I'm pretty sure that a number of other promising riders who are having success at young ages were probably just thrown into the deep end -- I'm referencing Sivakov, Bernal, Gaudu, Lambrecht, maybe include Mas in that group. As for a GT, why not the Vuelta in 2020 at least? Bernal and Sivakov, at least, emerged as full fledged top 10 GT talents at age 20/21.

It's astonishing to see the early progress, tho. Sure the T o B isn't the hardest stage race in the world but he won it with incredible panache. I'd love to see him try something else hard this year -- Tour of Austria?

 

[Bonimenier]

Patrick Lefevre said in an interview that Remco will take a short break after the national championships ITT and road. After that he will ride some WT-races in the second half of the season. Maybe San Sebastián will be on his program, but that's not a certainty yet.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

https://sporza.be/nl/2019/06/18/lefevere-over-evenepoel/
google translate with minor edits:

Lefevere: "Remco made the right choice to skip U23"

In the 2nd half of the season, Lefevere wants to use Evenepoel in a few WorldTour races. (img)

The name Remco Evenepoel was omnipresent in the media in recent days following his exhibition in the Tour of Belgium. Sporza gave the last word to Deceuninck-Quick Step team manager, Patrick Lefevere. "When you see how he rides away from Wellens, you know you're not dealing with a normal guy."

Until recently, there was still some disagreement as to whether Evenepoel was right to skip the U23 category. According to Lefevere, he now silences the critics. "His victory in the Tour of Belgium proves that we have made the right choice not to let him remain an espoir. With his reputation with the juniors, he would have been much more targeted in the U23 category."

"He already performed his first show in the Hammer Series in Limburg. If you look at the opposition, you know that Remco rode very quickly. And this week it was the case with Victor Campenaerts. At one point I asked myself about the attitude of Campenaerts, if he might have been faking it. But my question was no longer necessary because he fell off his bike, "Lefevere says.

Despite his resounding victory, Lefevere still had advice for his young star. "In the time trial, Remco is stranded at 3 seconds from Tim Wellens. Then you have to ask yourself where he lost those 3 seconds. At a certain point, I think he took his turn too wide and lost some time. He also pushed too big a gear. He has to learn from that, but if you then see how he counters Wellens the next day, still a top 20 rider in the world, then you know that you are not dealing with a normal guy. "

"His football career has contributed to his mentality"

In addition to its racing qualities, Evenepoel has also shown a great deal of maturity and swagger on and in addition to the bicycle in recent weeks. "He already had those qualities with the juniors. I think his football career contributed to that. When he played at PSV, he was the only child in a host family. That made him very mature."

For Deceuninck-Quick Step, it was a well-considered choice to use his pupil in the Baloise Belgium Tour. "We deliberately kept him away from the Dauphiné and the Tour of Switzerland. Our first main goal was the Tour of Belgium and Remco did not miss that goal."

What does the second half of the season now promise for Evenepoel? "After the Belgian Championship time trial and the Belgian Championship on the road, he can rest up for a while. In July, he goes on an altitude training. Afterwards we will try to ride a WorldTour course here and there and see how he performs there."

Lefevere cannot yet say with certainty what the agenda will look like exactly. "San Sebastian is a possibility, but the men who ride there come out of the Tour so well that it would be almost ungrateful to throw him over there for the lions. But I don't immediately say no."


------------------------------------

Final part is interesting. There will be some WT races coming later in the year. Possibly San Sebastian.

 

[Valanga]

Re:

What does the second half of the season now promise for Evenepoel? "After the Belgian Championship time trial and the Belgian Championship on the road, he can rest up for a while. In July, he goes on an altitude training. Afterwards we will try to ride a WorldTour course here and there and see how he performs there."

Lefevere cannot yet say with certainty what the agenda will look like exactly. "San Sebastian is a possibility, but the men who ride there come out of the Tour so well that it would be almost ungrateful to throw him over there for the lions. But I don't immediately say no."


------------------------------------

Final part is interesting. There will be some WT races coming later in the year. Possibly San Sebastian.

Possibly San Sebastian, but it seems Don Pat is not exactly a fan of that idea.

I'd say BinckBank tour in August and send him to Canada in September.

 

[shalgo]

Re:

What's interesting is how he's really being treated with kid gloves, as we say. I'm pretty sure that a number of other promising riders who are having success at young ages were probably just thrown into the deep end -- I'm referencing Sivakov, Bernal, Gaudu, Lambrecht, maybe include Mas in that group. As for a GT, why not the Vuelta in 2020 at least? Bernal and Sivakov, at least, emerged as full fledged top 10 GT talents at age 20/21.

They do seem to be treating him very carefully, but I think that is a good thing. Unlike those riders, Evenepoel has no U23 experience and even six months or one year's difference in age can mean a lot when they are so young.

As for time of first GT, Mas was 22 and 7 months, Gaudu was 21 and 9 months, Bernal was 21 and 6 months, Lambrecht was 21 and 4 months, and Sivakov was 21 and 2 months. Lambrecht and Sivakov both dropped out midway while the others finished. Evenepoel will only be 20 years and 8 months at the time of the 2020 Vuelta--younger than any of them. If he waited another whole year until the 2021 Vuelta, that would still put him in the middle of their range of ages at time of first GT. Still, given how precocious he is, I could see taking him to the 2020 Vuelta with the understanding that he would only ride about a dozen stages.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So, after past Baloise Belgium Tour, i'm more convinced than ever, that he seriously needs to work on his positioning in a peloton/bunch/break. I'm bringing this up, because Belgian media (as well as DQS) have been downplaying this issue (in the 4th stage of the BBT one of the commentators litterally said he has little to learn and that this is a non-issue).

Exhibit one: Hammer Stavanger Climb. Watch this video.
Exhibit two: 5th Stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour. Watch this clip.

I found the second clip posted on another forum. You can see how he is trying to squeeze between two riders, where he shouldn't. First time he nearly causes a crash, second time he actually causes a crash. I don't have footage of his crash in Turkey and Norway (ToN). But these two instances clearly show he doesn't know how to behave in a bunch. I also don't think there is a problem with his bikehandling, his cornering is usually pretty good, he often goes all in. Also riding in the gutter, on cobbles etc, i haven't really seen issues there. I think the problem is that he doesn't know the "peloton code" yet. Making unexpected manouvres and not knowing what to expect from other riders in the peloton.

He's crashed (i think) 7 times this year, and i don't think the blame lay elsewhere every time. He's lucky he is never hurt badly though. Had he been Kelderman, he'd been in revovery for 18 months after 7 crashes. Is he bendy? Is he carrying babyfat to cushion the blow? Does he have better "falling" reflexes from his football days? Or just strong bones?


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I'll add this not to bump the topic.

An article in Vélo101, asking the question if Remco should already start the Tour de France (but not necessarilly finish). https://www.velo101.com/pros/article/remco-evenepoel-doitil-devancer-lappel--21244

Google translated:

Despite a professional debut and even a very unusual cycling debut, giving hope for a super champion's career, Remco Evenepoel continues to surprise on each of his outings.

And if it was necessary to throw it in the big bath of the Tour?

To situate the scale of the phenomenon, let us recall the history of the Belgian prodigy.

Remco (born January 25, 2000, aged 19 and a half) whose father Patrick was professional in the 90s, played high-level football since he has several selections in the Belgian national team, under 15 years old then under 16 years old. At just 17, he stopped football and started cycling. With immediately impressive beginnings since his first year of practice he won 7 victories including 2 on international races!

In his second year, he became CLM Belgian Champion (having driven faster than the Espoir winner) and won the Junior Peace Race, one of the references in this age category. At the European Championships, he pocketed the Chrono and then the race online with nothing less than 10 minutes in advance. With these results he aligns himself at the World Championships which he wins both the Time Trial and the race online (despite a fall) on a very mountainous course. A unique double until then in this competition.

Remco Evenepoel is still only 18 when he signs a professional contract at the end of 2018 at Deceuninck - Quick Step. Imagine he's been cycling for a year and a half. Barely believable.

At the start of his first pro season on the Tour of Colombia, he is already in pace at the highest level in the world. Judge instead: 3rd of the Time Trial, 9th overall, craftsman of the victory of Julian Alaphilippe on the 2nd stage. A little later, 4th of the stage queen and general of the Tour of Turkey.

But it is at the Tour of Belgium in early June that he gets his first bouquets: winner of the 2nd stage and the general.

Have we seen such a phenomenon of precocity?

We are forced to return to the cycling archives, talking about the biggest names to try to guess what to expect:

- Gino Bartali, winner of the Giro at 21 years old. Another era, other (lesser) competition.

- Andy Schleck, 2nd Giro a few days before his 22nd birthday.

- Thibaut Pinot, winner of a stage and 10th overall at 22 years old. His manager Marc Madiot did not want to select him because of ... his too young age.

- Eddy Merckx, the greatest cyclist of all time, winner of Milan San Remo (nearly 300 km) at 20, the World Championship at 21, the Tour of Italy near his 23 years.

- Frank Vandenbroucke, winner of a stage of the Tour Méditerranéen at 19 years old.

- Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout Van Aert perform well from their road debut (even if they were already a little older).

- Peter Sagan, winner at 20 years of 2 stages of Paris-Nice by beating on the pedal on difficult arrivals of the runners such as Alejandro Valverde or Joachim Rodriguez.

Of course, with such beginnings, the young prodigy has not ceased to be the subject of the most dithyrambic comments: "extraordinary skills, unheard of" (Philippe Gilbert), "he may become even stronger than me (Eddy Merckx) And the incense nicknames with which it is affuble, often with its defending body, flourish: the little cannibal, the new Merckx ...

So, just over two weeks before the Grand Départ of the Tour de France, for which the teams involved are gradually submitting their selections, a question gets in the debate: Remco Evenepoel must he anticipate the call, and make part of the 8 riders of the "Wolf Pack" which will be on July 6th from Brussels? Should not the Belgian be at the start of the edition that will honor the unequaled career of King Eddy?

On these issues, as often, the arguments and comments are opposed:

No (ie, Remco Evenepoel must stay at home):

To enthusiastic supporters of early participation, or even this year, Remco Evenepoel in the Tour de France or another Grand Tour, it should however remember some fundamental truths of cycling: it is an endurance sport, especially as part of a Grand Tour.

It has always been considered that the pro cyclist must be "fashioned". First the one-day races and stage races of a few days, then the one-week race (Paris-Nice, Tirreno) then high-level mountain races like the Dauphiné, the Basque Country and then the Vuelta (considered less demanding ) and finally the Tour. So debut on a Grand Tour often around 23-24 years (sometimes victory at the 1st participation as Laurent Fignon on the Tour 1983) except some exceptions as the examples above.

The idea is to avoid "cramer" the runner to repaint a term of the jargon cyclist, as if the participation in a Grand Tour in the early years would overshadow a career because the rider could never recover, his whole career , the sum of efforts claimed over 3 weeks. All Sports Directors are therefore afraid to "burn" their nugget. An example is well known with Miguel Indurain to whom José Miguel Echavarri had said before making the Tour: "1st year 1 week, 2nd year 2 weeks then the 3rd year you finish".

Marc Madiot had held this speech to Pinot who had to insist heavily to make the Tour 2012 with the success that we know (stage victory, 10th overall).

And even if there is no need here to carry out extensive analyzes of how endurance skills evolve with age, we take little risk in saying that it is not at 19 that they will be optimal, especially since only the athletic criteria must be superimposed on other factors, particularly the experience that allows to better "manage" the long-term and repeated efforts that are required by these Grand Tours. Moreover, if one refers to examples of very early footballers (Pelé, Kylian M'Bappé), cycling is not football, even for a footballer, and 19 years is not the same age than 20 and even less 21 or 22 years. Finally, it must also be considered that in this period of "specialization" of cycling, Remco may not yet have quite defined the types of races on which it will want to illustrate itself in priority, the range of its abilities leaving him for that the embarrassment of the choice.

Yes (ie, Remco Evenepoel must do the Tour de France):

As early as February, Cyrille Guimard expressed the opinion that "one should not make it wait too long before participating in a Grand Tour". Did he remember the situation of Bernard Hinault, who had refrained from participating in the 1977 Tour, when he was quite ready for that? In football, precisely the sport practiced at a high level in the youth categories by Evenepoel, did not Kylian M'Bappé play his first L1 match at the age of 17? What about Andy Schleck and his 2nd place in the Giro - with his own words, "legs to win" at the age of 21? Especially behind a Danilo Di Luca with a reputation sulfurous and controlled 3 times positive.

Do not we attach too much importance to this "theory of maturity" in a sport deemed conservative, at the risk of wasting time and potential athletes?

The sports results of a subsequent Thibaut Pinot or Andy Schleck were they worse because of participation supposedly too early for a Grand Tour? Certainly not, quite the contrary. The linear progression of these 2 runners indicates that the "cash" taken at an early age thanks to these 3 weeks there, allowed them to cross the steps leading to the top of the pyramid. Some readers will remember Régis Ovion, out-of-class champion and amateur world champion in 1971 at age 22, who was kept waiting for the entire 1972 season before going pro because of Olympic deadline and who has never found the same pedal stroke?

By observing the behavior of Remco Evenepoel in the Tour de Belgique, beating Victor Campenaerts and Tim Wellens, the ambitions of the rider and his management are inevitably mounted a notch. "Tell me who you are fighting and I will tell you which runner you are". And opposite here, we have high-level, seasoned cyclists. What's worse than them on a Grand Tour?

Therefore, on a Tour of Belgium if Evenepoel is able to beat a Tim Wellens in the prime of life, it is because its recovery capabilities are exceptional, in addition to the huge engine capacity - without any thoughts.

From the moment one is faced with a degree of precocity perhaps never reached, why continue to apply rules that are valid for the "normal" professional runner? Indeed, if the young Belgian rider did not have the extraordinary level that is his, it is likely that the accumulation of harassing days on the Tour de France would have gradually plunged into a state of advanced fatigue. But has not he already shown that a Tour of Colombia or Belgium does not break its potential as the days go by? While the Tour is still a level above but nothing would require the rider to complete absolutely the 3 weeks.

However, between the pros and the cons, let's leave the floor to the coach of the Belgian hope that evoked in late 2018, on the edge of his professional career case Evenepoel:

"He must not run for a place but to progress. The 2019 and 2020 figures will not count. With his physical qualities, he can already make top ten on the races of a day or help a leader for a long time on a classic, but it is not the goal. He must not make a Grand Tour before 2021. He must refine his abilities. He must be prepared to become the runner that Belgium expects. During the first two seasons, let him do one-week tours, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, To improve. "

Here is an opinion that had the merit of being clear - but an opinion that is prior to the exploits of the rider on the first part of the season.

To readers, to have theirs ...

/////////////////////////////////

Video report/interview with Remco:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pNOpzgg6rI

Flobikes on Evenepoel's win in BBT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxmNfxf3Qt0

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Some small tidbits:

For those who didn't know yet, Remco finished 3rd in the Belgian NC ITT, nearly half a minute ahead of (a fatigued) Campenaerts, and only 8 seconds behind Lampaert (who won TDS ITT last week) on a flat course, with a lot of headwind (course close to the sea). Quite the feat considering his build and weight (and age).

National coach Verbrugghe is considering taking Evenepoel to the Olympics next year.

Currently, the team is thinking about sending him to the 2020 Vuelta (for a week or two).

When he won his stage in the Baloise Belgium Tour, he was wearing the leader jersey in his hotelroom and dancing on the bed of happiness. (dixit Keisse)

 

[hayneplane]

What is the parcours like for the Belgian Road Race as it has the potential to be one of the best days racing of the season especially as it will be a bit of an audition for places at the Worlds on a course very suited to the top Belgians

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

What is the parcours like for the Belgian Road Race as it has the potential to be one of the best days racing of the season especially as it will be a bit of an audition for places at the Worlds on a course very suited to the top Belgians

It's not the most enticing parcours to be honest. There are some cobbled sections in the first 1/3rd of the race, but none after that. There are also not too many punchy hilly sections either.

 

[jaylew]

The Belgian course got me thinking about something. Not really in reference to this race but who would we consider to be the fastest Belgian rider in the peloton? Philipsen already?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

The Belgian course got me thinking about something. Not really in reference to this race but who would we consider to be the fastest Belgian rider in the peloton? Philipsen already?

Merlier currently.

 

[jaylew]

I couldn't bring myself to type that even though there's a good chance that's the case. He's a guy who I think could have more success on the road than in cross if he decided to do it full time. It's not like he finishes on the podium in cross very often - I'd say there are around 15 guys better than him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

I couldn't bring myself to type that even though there's a good chance that's the case. He's a guy who I think could have more success on the road than in cross if he decided to do it full time. It's not like he finishes on the podium in cross very often - I'd say there are around 15 guys better than him.

I think he (Merlier) was asked the question not too long ago, whether he shouldn't shift his focus completely towards the road, but i think he basically said the same thing a few other CX riders said. Merlier likes CX because it's fun, and it's the perfect winter prep for his road season.

 

[Lexman]

Remco is taking a few days off before his first ever altitude traing camp and resuming his racing at the end of july at the Adriatica Ionica Race....(read it somewhere on a flemish website can't remember where sorry)

 

[GuntherL]

Re:

Remco is taking a few days off before his first ever altitude traing camp and resuming his racing at the end of july at the Adriatica Ionica Race....(read it somewhere on a flemish website can't remember where sorry)

His presence is confirmed on Procyclingstats.com. I couldn't find any information on the stages. The Twitter account and their official website still refers to 2018.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Remco is taking a few days off before his first ever altitude traing camp and resuming his racing at the end of july at the Adriatica Ionica Race....(read it somewhere on a flemish website can't remember where sorry)

His presence is confirmed on Procyclingstats.com. I couldn't find any information on the stages. The Twitter account and their official website still refers to 2018.

Another waste of a prologue (2.7k) followed by:

Strange that Passo del Pura and Passo Rest aren't rated.

https://www.climbbybike.com/nl/beklimming.asp?Col=Passo-del-Pura&qryMountainID=2920
https://www.climbbybike.com/nl/beklimming.asp?Col=Forcella-del-Monte-Rest&qryMountainID=2174#profile

According to their profile, Passo del Pura should be 7% for 12.4k and according to climbbybike it's 7.4%
Forcella del Monte Rest is 4.9% according to their profile, for 14.4k. According to climbbybike it's 4.1%

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

His diet still seems to be rather... "diverse"? He was interviewed by (younger) kids in light of the Grand Départ, along with Van Avermaet and Monfort. Kids asked him how many times he eats fries and icecream... He ate fries a few days ago, and went on saying he eats icecream rather frequently, especially after a training session in the summer. He also likes to eat pancakes with Nutella in the morning.

I don't know exactly what other pro riders eat during the season, but something tells me there is still progress to be made in terms of his diet

He also told an anecdote of when he was 7 years old, and he participated in a cyclocross race. But since he wasn't registered officially, he had to start all the way at the back. He overtook the entire peloton in the first few hundred meters, and they never saw him again.

https://www.hln.be/sport/wielrennen/tour-de-france/van-avermaet-monfort-en-evenepoel-schitteren-op-persconferentie-voor-kinderen-schep-plezier-in-alles-wat-jullie-doen~ad3f2636/

 

[Bonimenier]

MvdP eats fries almost every weekend during the winter after every cyclocross. Seems like a winning formula.

 

[Faserr]

Well he is not the GC guy at the moment wo has to starve to death. Icecream after a long training shouldn't be a problem, the body needs that.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re:

Well he is not the GC guy at the moment wo has to starve to death. Icecream after a long training shouldn't be a problem, the body needs that.

Yes and you also have to consider his age. The sport would also be better off if more people would have the MVP approach of having a cheat meal, mainly in the junior and u23 ranks. Way better than someone like Locatelli fatshaming his athletes for having ice cream...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Well he is not the GC guy at the moment wo has to starve to death. Icecream after a long training shouldn't be a problem, the body needs that.

Yes and you also have to consider his age. The sport would also be better off if more people would have the MVP approach of having a cheat meal, mainly in the junior and u23 ranks. Way better than someone like Locatelli fatshaming his athletes for having ice cream...

Just to be clear, I wasn't insinuating that he should be starving himself or that he should be living like a monk. He's stated in the past (as i reported in this topic) that it is a conscious dicision of not losing weight yet, untill he is physically fullgrown and until he needs to go lose weight for GT/GC.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

His schedule according to HLN:

Currently on altitude until july 22nd. Apparently he had some issue adjusting to altitude the first few days, but now it's going well.

July 24-28 Adriatica Ionica (2.1)
August 3rd Clasica San Sebastian (1.UWT)
29th of august - 1st of september: Deutschland Tour (2.HC) (all but confirmed).

I would have liked to see him go to Utah instead of Germany but maybe that was too soon after San Sebastian, and DQS doesn't ride it normally.

 

[Saint Unix]

Will be very interesting to see what he does on Tre Cime di Lavaredo at Adriatica Ionica. Not the strongest of fields, so he should be able to light it up there.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

Will be very interesting to see what he does on Tre Cime di Lavaredo at Adriatica Ionica. Not the strongest of fields, so he should be able to light it up there.

No startlist yet. Only "notable" GC candidate so far is Hermans. Last year Sosa won, it'd be interesting if he starts again.