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

[GuntherL]

Eventhough it's super impressive how he won... i'm still not sure i'm happy he can also win like this. I hope he doesn't become one of those riders that keeps waiting and waiting because of it. It would have been quite special had he been the guy that had to look for other ways to win, with longer attacks etc.

This wasn’t a climb suited to an early attack as Lopez clearly showed. Waiting this long was the only option for Remco and after his failed experiments uphill in Turkey and Adriatica Ionica last year, he showed increased maturity. Long range attacks when he’s aiming for the GC will become rare.

 

[Naico]

I really think people are underestimating Schachmann's TT capabilities quite a bit here. Yes, Remco seems like a machine, but last time he rode a TT at the end of a stage race, he actually didn't win (Tour of Belgium).

Nothing is locked or set in stone.

Have to agree here. Schachmann will finish 2nd in the GC at worst (and Evenepoel will finish 1st at worst). He’s a beast and continues to grow as a rider. He’ll be a huge favorite for all the Ardennes classics too. But Evenepoel has only gotten better since his TT in the Tour of Belgium. Difference won’t be enormous though.

 

[Bolder]

Alap just has to get to the final climb. Other doms can lead Evenpoel and Alap to the final climb. Then on the final climb, Alap can give his best 5 km and blow up, launching RE for the victory. He won't have to try and conserve energy like he did this year protecting his GC position.

Using Alaf as a climbing dom would be a waste of his talent. He's a stage hunter and overall disruptor at GTs. Not saying he wouldn't or couldn't do it but do you really think that if he's feeling great he's going to sacrifice chances of a stage win for Remco?

Plus, in France, Alaphilippe is the chouchou so DQS would have some explaining to do as to why they're using the Velo d'Or and sportsman of the year as a domestique in the country's biggest sporting even.

 

[SafeBet]

Using Alaf as a climbing dom would be a waste of his talent. He's a stage hunter and overall disruptor at GTs. Not saying he wouldn't or couldn't do it but do you really think that if he's feeling great he's going to sacrifice chances of a stage win for Remco?

Plus, in France, Alaphilippe is the chouchou so DQS would have some explaining to do as to why they're using the Velo d'Or and sportsman of the year as a domestique in the country's biggest sporting even.

I agree.

For 2020.

 

[tobydawq]

You know i'm not the guy to "sell the bearskin before it is shot" (it's a Dutch saying, to not get ahead of oneself) but that ITT was only a 9k ITT. It was also prior to his 3rd place in the Belgian Nationals ITT, before his ECC ITT win, before his silver medal in the WCC ITT and his destructing ITT in San Juan. It's also not like he was completely blown away there. He finished 4th at 3 seconds of Wellens and 1 second behind Campenaerts.

Schachmann seems like a good ITT'er, but not worldclass like Remco has proven to be. He's only ever won one ITT, last year, of 11k. Two years ago, in Algarve, he lost 1m15s to Thomas. Unless Evenepoel has a complete off-day, crashes or has 2 punctures, i'm not seeing Schachmann take it away from him. And if he indeed crashes or punctures, it doesn't really matter how good Schachmann is, or who is next in GC.

Yes, I know all those things (we even have the exact same saying in Denmark with the bearskin) but Schachmann seemed like he had taken a massive step up last year from 2018.

It's true that his 2018 ITT level wouldn't be a problem for Evenepoel and the problem is that he didn't ride one flat TT last year. So there's really no way of knowing how close he can get.

 

[Red Rick]

Schachmann shouldn't be an issue surely. Also I don't think Schachman is the type of rider that does well on the Malhao.

 

[kiszol]

I wouldn't worry about Schachmann. Algarve is most likely a done deal. Let's see if Remco can win Tirreno as well.

 

[tobydawq]

Schachmann shouldn't be an issue surely. Also I don't think Schachman is the type of rider that does well on the Malhao.

Why on earth wouldn't he do well there?

 

[Red Rick]

Why on earth wouldn't he do well there?

Too steep

 

[Faserr]

Yes. He ist too heavy and he didn't perform well on long steep climbs in the past. This climb isn't really very long that's why I think he won't be too far back. He seems to get leaner.
I am curious to see what Evenepoel can do there.

 

[tobydawq]

Too steep

Like when he was fifth and eighth (even after a long break) on the Mur de Huy in the Flèche Wallonne?

I think it's right up his wheelhouse.

 

[spalco]

Very impressive performance by Evenepoel once again, should have the GC for Algarve in the bag.

But the big question marks (to me), his ability on big mountain stages and 3-week recovery ability, still won't be answered until the Giro. Even T-A can't tell us much imo.

I don't see any indication why he shouldn't be great in that too, but it's unproven so far.

 

[hayneplane]

Too steep

Based on how Max rode in the Itzulia last year I would not think the malhao would be too steep

 

[Red Rick]

Based on how Max rode in the Itzulia last year I would not think the malhao would be too steep

Stages he won were far easier finishes than Malhao. Malhao is over 7 minutes, Mur de Huy is more like 3.

 

[tobydawq]

Stages he won were far easier finishes than Malhao. Malhao is over 7 minutes, Mur de Huy is more like 3.

Then it's not "too steep" that is the issue.

 

[Red Rick]

Then it's not "too steep" that is the issue.

Too steep for too long.

 

[houtdffan]

Using Alaf as a climbing dom would be a waste of his talent. He's a stage hunter and overall disruptor at GTs. Not saying he wouldn't or couldn't do it but do you really think that if he's feeling great he's going to sacrifice chances of a stage win for Remco?

Plus, in France, Alaphilippe is the chouchou so DQS would have some explaining to do as to why they're using the Velo d'Or and sportsman of the year as a domestique in the country's biggest sporting even.

If Evenpeol has a good chance at winning the GC, absolutely, Alap should be on donkey duty. Not sure Alap can quite get over the hump and win the overall

 

[houtdffan]

I agree.

For 2020.

agreed. Since EP is going to the Giro, let Alap lead the team again this year. However, unless he wins the overall, he should be EPs final dom in the mountains starting next year

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Lefevre: "I know this will sound pretentious, but he's actually not quite in form yet. He needs to lose another 2 kg leading up to the Giro."

Lefevere verrast: “Evenepoel is nog niet in vorm. Er kunnen nog een paar kilo’s af”

HLN - Het Laatste Nieuws - Volg het nieuws op de nr1 nieuwssite in België, HLN.be brengt je het allerlaatste nieuws 24/24 en 7/7, uit binnen - en buitenland, evenals dichtbij met nieuws uit je eigen regio.

www.hln.be

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Lefevre: "I know this will sound pretentious, but he's actually not quite in form yet. He needs to lose another 2 kg leading up to the Giro."

Lefevere verrast: “Evenepoel is nog niet in vorm. Er kunnen nog een paar kilo’s af”

HLN - Het Laatste Nieuws - Volg het nieuws op de nr1 nieuwssite in België, HLN.be brengt je het allerlaatste nieuws 24/24 en 7/7, uit binnen - en buitenland, evenals dichtbij met nieuws uit je eigen regio.

www.hln.be

loooooooooool

On another note, the most interesting thing about his win yesterday wasn’t that it came on a pretty big (if rather easy) mountain. It’s that he showed that he has at least enough kick to create a gap. At which point he can hold a lot of watts. He’s never going to be a good puncheur, but there‘s a very big difference between having some kick and having absolutely none (as was feared about him). If your only choice is to steadily ride everyone off your wheel, you are in a much weaker position.

 

[RunningRouleur]

Yes, I think the high pace they rode the last few KM was helpful in tiring everyone else out. But Remco obviously was not even close to his limit. It would’ve been hard to go earlier because the climb was too shallow. If Remco gets good at these 1-2 minute uphill attacks he will win a lot more races.

And I don’t think there’s any scenario in which Alaphilippe becomes a mountain domestique at the Tour de France

 

[houtdffan]

Yes, I think the high pace they rode the last few KM was helpful in tiring everyone else out. But Remco obviously was not even close to his limit. It would’ve been hard to go earlier because the climb was too shallow. If Remco gets good at these 1-2 minute uphill attacks he will win a lot more races.

And I don’t think there’s any scenario in which Alaphilippe becomes a mountain domestique at the Tour de France

If EP is as good as Merckx (or even as dominant in a GT as Armstrong), he will get the entire team dedicated to him

 

[Boes]

A question concerning his finish yesterday in Portugal.
He attacked with 500 meters to go and quickly took 10-20 meters himself in 200-ish meters.

What if he was to save his punch/accelleration for the last 200 meters, would he have made a chance in the sprint or would, f.e. Schachmann have flooded over him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

A question concerning his finish yesterday in Portugal.
He attacked with 500 meters to go and quickly took 10-20 meters himself in 200-ish meters.

What if he was to save his punch/accelleration for the last 200 meters, would he have made a chance in the sprint or would, f.e. Schachmann have flooded over him.

His attack was well timed. First of all, it was from "too far" which took some other guys by surprise. It was also with a fierce headwind. He knew that if he could make a gap there, when his rivals were not ready and/or willing he could make a gap that he could defend in timetrial mode, into the wind. The real punchers would want to wait until they were closer to the line.

While he clearly packs more punch than i (or anyone) previously imagined, i don't think he could have beaten Schachmann or Wellens in a sprint in the final 200m. As such, his attack was carefully planned. The only way they could have beaten him was had they started their effort 300m sooner, which would be a risk for them, as they could burn out too soon.

 

[Walter1234]

Just watch his attack again. It is not so much Remco goes so fast, the other actually are slowing down. They are all waiting for the others to follow Remco. And the first one to follow has some mechanical. Once the other riders organize themselves they come back but not enough. And that is most probable because of the harsh tempo in the last kms by the domestic.
It would surprise me if this type of ending will happen more.