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

[MADRAZO]

They're not bringing him to Paris-Nice. If the race goes through the selection of DQS for Paris-Nice is now: Alaphilippe, Lampaert, Morkov and Bennett who were always supposed to ride Paris-Nice and Asgreen, Jungels and Stybar who were supposed to ride Tirreno. They are replacing Devenyns, Cavagna and Declercq.

Ofcourse they have to include their classic-riders now, but a bit surpricing that they are prioriticing to bring Mörköv instead of Evenepoel, that could both make a great result and also benefit ahead of other goals,. They must really prioritice to get that Mörköv-Bennett combination to start working perfect.

 

[hayneplane]

There has to be a high chance none of this will matter anyway by Sunday as with so many of the major teams already having pulled out the race may not be viable even if the authorities allow it to proceed.

 

[Flamin]

Huh? Remco is also "a classics guy" as he's riding Flèche and Liège is his first big goal. And what would they have him race prior to the Giro then? They would be insane not to put him in PN, given he's prepared to race TA anyway.

Someone who does the Ardennes obviously doesn't need Paris-Nice or Tirreno as badly as someone peaking for the cobble classics.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Someone who does the Ardennes obviously doesn't need Paris-Nice or Tirreno as badly as someone peaking for the cobble classics.

The point was, what else will he be able to race by then?

 

[Flamin]

The point was, what else will he be able to race by then?

Catalunya for example. Some other one day races. Does it matter so much?

Liège for Remco really isn't as important as E3/G-W/Ronde/Roubaix for Styby, Asgreen etc.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Catalunya for example. Some other one day races. Does it matter so much?

Liège for Remco really isn't as important as E3/G-W/Ronde/Roubaix for Styby, Asgreen etc.

Liège (the classic of his dreams) and the Olympics were his main goals this year. Worlds less so and Lombardia & Giro were secondary goals. Taking him doesn't mean they have to leave Stybar & Asgreen at home. The thing is that he had been working towards this week for TA. Considering he already has plenty of "goals", it would make sense to let him ride now, instead of again starting to work towards another race 4 weeks later. But that's my opinion.

EDIT: just read that PN is thinking about allowing 8 riders per team due to these circumstances? In that case it would make even more sense to take him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Interesting article: https://wielerrevue.nl/artikel/107766/remco-evenepoel-de-giro-is-een-kans-met-al-die-tijdritten

He sees the Giro as an opportunity with all these ITT kilometers. There are no set ambitions and if it turns out to be too much, he'll pull out (or the team will pull him out) but on the other hand, he has no intention to get dropped, let go or lose time deliberately.

 

[Flamin]

Liège (the classic of his dreams) and the Olympics were his main goals this year. Worlds less so and Lombardia & Giro were secondary goals. Taking him doesn't mean they have to leave Stybar & Asgreen at home. The thing is that he had been working towards this week for TA. Considering he already has plenty of "goals", it would make sense to let him ride now, instead of again starting to work towards another race 4 weeks later. But that's my opinion.

EDIT: just read that PN is thinking about allowing 8 riders per team due to these circumstances? In that case it would make even more sense to take him.

Paris-Nice/Tirreno is not a dealbreaker for an Ardennes guy, while it's widely considered as the best prep for the cobble classics. E3 is just three weeks away from here (not counting Sanremo), Liège is seven, so there's plenty of opportunities for Remco to reschedule. Train in Spain or go on altitude camp, then go to Catalunya.

Sure, they can add Remco if an 8th rider is allowed, but like I said, cobble guys come first. There's no equally good alternative for them than ride P-N.

 

[houtdffan]

Paris-Nice/Tirreno is not a dealbreaker for an Ardennes guy, while it's widely considered as the best prep for the cobble classics. E3 is just three weeks away from here (not counting Sanremo), Liège is seven, so there's plenty of opportunities for Remco to reschedule. Train in Spain or go on altitude camp, then go to Catalunya.

Sure, they can add Remco if an 8th rider is allowed, but like I said, cobble guys come first. There's no equally good alternative for them than ride P-N.

seems like an 8th rider is being allowed

 

[Flamin]

seems like an 8th rider is being allowed

I just read that Declercq is probably going to be the 8th rider.

 

[houtdffan]

I just read that Declercq is probably going to be the 8th rider.

should send evenepoel there. Get the win and move on. Team needs to accept the reality that they are becoming a GC team with Evenepoel and Alap. Those are the leaders going forward

 

[BlueRoads]

Well they might become a GC team, once Evenepoel has fully grown up, but for now that is very disrespectful towards the other riders (if you're not joking?)
As people like Asgreen and Cavagna have just shown how strong they are.
Also Alaphilippe is not a GC rider and probably never will be with DQS.

 

[houtdffan]

Well they might become a GC team, once Evenepoel has fully grown up, but for now that is very disrespectful towards the other riders (if you're not joking?)
As people like Asgreen and Cavagna have just shown how strong they are.
Also Alaphilippe is not a GC rider and probably never will be with DQS.

Alap finished 5th in the tour last year and held onto the jersey for many days. That's a GC rider. Just couldn't bring it home. More team support would have helped him a lot

 

[Bonimenier]

Alap finished 5th in the tour last year and held onto the jersey for many days. That's a GC rider. Just couldn't bring it home. More team support would have helped him a lot

I wouldn't classify him as a GC-rider. Just an extraordinary rider who rides uphill quite well if in shape.

 

[Akuryo]

Alap finished 5th in the tour last year and held onto the jersey for many days. That's a GC rider. Just couldn't bring it home. More team support would have helped him a lot

With that logic Voeckler was a GC rider too. Or De Gendt...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He'll be riding Catalunya.

 

[Red Rick]

He'll be riding Catalunya.

Obviously less of a favorite, but a far better Giro test imo.

 

[Big Doopie]

Obviously less of a favorite, but a far better Giro test imo.

Less? with 21kms of ITT? Instead of 10.

Is the competition tougher then?

 

[Red Rick]

Less? with 21kms of ITT? Instead of 10.

Is the competition tougher then?

1. I roflmissed the ITT in the route on steephill.
2. Dumoulin is riding, so there's that. Dumoulin tends to be shite in March though.
3. If he'd have gotten dropped on the Tirreno MTF and still hung on for the win, I think there's a bigger chance he loses Catalunya.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

They must send him to PN, easy win against the pro conti teams.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

1. I roflmissed the ITT in the route on steephill.
2. Dumoulin is riding, so there's that. Dumoulin tends to be shite in March though.
3. If he'd have gotten dropped on the Tirreno MTF and still hung on for the win, I think there's a bigger chance he loses Catalunya.

Not only that, but it's Dumoulin's first race in... 9 months? I wouldn't exactly expect him to be competing for the win here.

 

[spalco]

With that logic Voeckler was a GC rider too. Or De Gendt...

Yes they were? Just not really good ones.

 

[Akuryo]

Yes they were? Just not really good ones.

"One swallow does not a summer make" fits perfectly here. All of those guys were underestimated (or not judging by the end result) at the beginning and held on for dear life. Given minutes early and then defending it somewhat to get a top 5 is not the stuff of a great GT rider. Cause you wont get those minutes on a regular basis if you are actually any good in terms of Grand Tour racing. Let Voekcler, De Gendt or Alaphilippe start the real mountains with the same time as the top climbers and see what happens.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

"One swallow does not a summer make" fits perfectly here. All of those guys were underestimated (or not judging by the end result) at the beginning and held on for dear life. Given minutes early and then defending it somewhat to get a top 5 is not the stuff of a great GT rider. Cause you wont get those minutes on a regular basis if you are actually any good in terms of Grand Tour racing. Let Voekcler, De Gendt or Alaphilippe start the real mountains with the same time as the top climbers and see what happens.

That's not the case for De Gendt, though.

 

[Red Rick]

De Gendt did it only once though.