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

[limak_]

Yet he's over the moon about yesterday's stage win, but somehow day before it didn't matter to him
The truth is, he lacks experience in that situations. He would've of course love to win that stage, but didn't know how. GC was also on his mind of course, so he just keep pushing till the end, hoping that maybe his crazy tempo will break those two.

That is obviously true that he lacks experience in terms of race tactics.

No matter if he rode for the stage or not (he wanted to make time in GC and the stage win was also on his mind, I'd put it this way), criticizing a guy for not winning a mostly flat stage in a stage race, after he was 100% towing others for the last over 30kms is ridiculous.

I'm the last person to treat Evenepoel as an untouchable figure, but it doesn't mean that he can't be defended from the non-constructive crtics like in this case.

 

[Blanco]

That is obviously true that he lacks experience in terms of race tactics.

No matter if he rode for the stage or not (he wanted to make time in GC and the stage win was also on his mind, I'd put it this way), criticizing a guy for not winning a mostly flat stage in a stage race, after he was 100% towing others for the last over 30kms is ridiculous.

I'm the last person to treat Evenepoel as an untouchable figure, but it doesn't mean that he can't be defended from the non-constructive crtics like in this case.

Again, I'm not criticizing him, I'm criticizing the ones who claim that he rode exclusively for the GC, with no thoughts of a stage win, which in my opinion is not true. Or do you think different?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yes, I understand it, but my post was addressed to his "defenders" who know that he didn't rode for the stage...

He didn't. He even got orders from the team car.

As Campenaerts is currently 2nd in GC, it's clear that he is the second strongest rider in the race and in peak condition.

Campenaerts lost minutes after that, and got out of the race.

 

[Netserk]

Campenaerts lost minutes after that, and got out of the race.

No ***. Citing an injury. Must have required an insane performance to drop him.

 

[limak_]

Again, I'm not criticizing him, I'm criticizing the ones who claim that he rode exclusively for the GC, with no thoughts of a stage win, which in my opinion is not true. Or do you think different?

He obviosuly rode with the GC as his main goal. And that obviosuly doesn't exclude the thought of winning a stage along the way. Then yes, I agree it's a nonsense to assume he had 0 thoughts of winning the stage (is that even possible for bike racer to happen? )

Earlier you brought up an argument, that if the TT win was super important for him, then it's not possible that he didn't care about the stage win the day before. The win in the TT was particularly crucial for him, as he defines himself as a TT specialist and it was arguably his main prioritize after an injury to get back to the TT shape and get back the feeling that he is still amongst the best in this discipline (also I think Olympics TT is his main goal of this season). So him caring so much about a TT stage win doesn't rule out the possibility of not caring about the stage win the day before.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

No ***. Citing an injury. Must have required an insane performance to drop him.

He said he had cramps because he had to go too deep trying to follow. That's what he cited.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

And meanwhile, on the Dutch forum Wielerflits (wielerflits.nl), and completely since the Giro, hundreds of derogatory comments, even hate messages on Remco Evenepoel, but also on the teammanager Patrick Lefevere and the DCQ-team. It's just incredible how many frustrated cycling fans (?) feel they have to express their antipathy. I think most of them never competed on a high level in any sport. (Dutch) chauvinism, jealousy, stupidity are probably at the origin there.
And apparently the moderators are okay with that.
Then this forum is a relief, even if there is sometimes a rotten apple here and there.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Maybe all these arguments for and against this lad started as soon as people saw the title of the thread. Instead of a discussion thread he is built up to be the next messiah.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe all these arguments for and against this lad started as soon as people saw the title of the thread. Instead of a discussion thread he is built up to be the next messiah.

Thread title was made in jest by a Dutchman who has been banned for some time.

He obviosuly rode with the GC as his main goal. And that obviosuly doesn't exclude the thought of winning a stage along the way. Then yes, I agree it's a nonsense to assume he had 0 thoughts of winning the stage (is that even possible for bike racer to happen? )

Earlier you brought up an argument, that if the TT win was super important for him, then it's not possible that he didn't care about the stage win the day before. The win in the TT was particularly crucial for him, as he defines himself as a TT specialist and it was arguably his main prioritize after an injury to get back to the TT shape and get back the feeling that he is still amongst the best in this discipline (also I think Olympics TT is his main goal of this season). So him caring so much about a TT stage win doesn't rule out the possibility of not caring about the stage win the day before.

It's simply a matter of priorities. Him riding for GC, doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't care about a stagewin. So his premise is flawed to begin with. GC is more important, and if he had to chose, he'd pick the GC over a stagewin. Going for the stage, would have meant he would have needed to gamble in order to win. If the gamble didn't pan out, he could have been left empty handed, no stage, no GC. The fact we are even having this discussion, on a cycling forum, on how the dynamics change and how tactics work and the impact that having to go for GC or for a stage changes things, is frankly a bit baffling.

Furthermore, with him now leading the GC, it will be his rivals who need to attack and take initiative if they don't want to go home empty handed. Which in turn puts Evenepoel in a tactically more interesting position, in case he wants to go for a(nother) stagewin.

 

[red_flanders]

Yes, I understand it, but my post was addressed to his "defenders" who know that he didn't rode for the stage...

He said after the stage that Steels was urging him to keep pushing and go for GC. So he rode for GC and the stage was secondary, and of course he was disappointed not to win. This isn’t about “defenders” as you put it, it’s about seeing the obvious tactics playing out in front of you.

If his primary concern was the stage win, his tactics were idiotic. Obviously, it wasn’t his primary concern. Obviously, everyone would always prefer to win.

 

[Lefebre]

This little boy making grown men cry, hello
Campenaerts!
We are witness the story of the Goat of cycling, it's a great time to be alive.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Post-race interview today, he said (when asked) that on wednesday he couldn't accelerate anymore, he could only ride a very high pace, and also gave credits to the two guys who were able to follow, saying they were very strong as well. But the fact that he doesn't have that acceleration shows he is still missing a few %. The guys in his wheel told him after the race that had he attacked one more time, he would have dropped them, but he told them he simply couldn't (yet).

 

[Open Horizon]

Instead of a discussion thread he is built up to be the next messiah.

Nah. Just facts and logic.

for examp...

oh

This little boy making grown men cry, hello
Campenaerts!
We are witness the story of the Goat of cycling, it's a great time to be alive.

 

[limak_]

Post-race interview today, he said (when asked) that on wednesday he couldn't accelerate anymore, he could only ride a very high pace, and also gave credits to the two guys who were able to follow, saying they were very strong as well. But the fact that he doesn't have that acceleration shows he is still missing a few %. The guys in his wheel told him after the race that had he attacked one more time, he would have dropped them, but he told them he simply couldn't (yet).

Another awkward interview from Remco boy. I thought that if you're able to maintain a very high pace comfortably, then you're also able to produce one or two short, decent accelerations (and this applies even to the least explosive rider of the peleton like Remco). From his words it seems like he was programmed to ride let's say 400W +/- 5% and he was blocked to do anything else than that.

 

[Blobs]

Another awkward interview from Remco boy. I thought that if you're able to maintain a very high pace comfortably, then you're also able to produce one or two short, decent accelerations (and this applies even to the least explosive rider of the peleton like Remco). From his words it seems like he was programmed to ride let's say 400W +/- 5% and he was blocked to do anything else than that.

Did he say he could do it comfortably?

It sounds like he was going at his limit, so an acceleration could possibly blow him up and he would get to the finish line slower.

 

[johnymax]

Good bounce back race for Remco after a difficult Giro. Back on winning ways, nice to see.

 

[Big Doopie]

Good bounce back race for Remco after a difficult Giro. Back on winning ways, nice to see.

yup. still not "there" yet, but better.

 

[Panda Claws]

Fingers crossed he can get some tricolors.

 

[Leggitte]

I just can't wait for Evenepoel in good shape to compete with Bernal, Pidcock and Pogacar in the TdF. Evenepoel 2 minutes ahead when the mountains begin and Bernal, Pidcock and Pogacar need to attack. And they will as all 3 are very attacking riders. It will be awesome to watch.

 

[Pinot's goat]

I just can't wait for Evenepoel in good shape to compete with Bernal, Pidcock and Pogacar in the TdF. Evenepoel 2 minutes ahead when the mountains begin and Bernal, Pidcock and Pogacar need to attack. And they will as all 3 are very attacking riders. It will be awesome to watch.

How will Evenepoel be 2 minutes ahead of Pogacar?

 

[Leggitte]

How will Evenepoel be 2 minutes ahead of Pogacar?

Because I do think Evenepoel will gain time on Pogacar in flat time trials. The 2 minutes were obviously pulled out of thin air, but I do think Evenepoel has a good chance to go into the mountain stages with a time advantage on the rest. How long he will keep that for is still the great unknown.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Because I do think Evenepoel will gain time on Pogacar in flat time trials. The 2 minutes were obviously pulled out of thin air, but I do think Evenepoel has a good chance to go into the mountain stages with a time advantage on the rest. How long he will keep that for is still the great unknown.

Pidcock has great junior results in ITT as well.

 

[BlueRoads]

Pidcock again. I want to see him win a bigger stage race than the Baby Giro or Alsace, and then I'm willing to talk.

And really there are so many young guys coming up right now, who knows who'll be the talk of the town next year. Maybe Padun, maybe Mäder, maybe Hirschi, maybe Ayuso, maybe Hayter, Almeida, Valter, Vansevenant, maybe someone entirely else.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pidcock has great junior results in ITT as well.

Pidcock has a good ITT, but so far i haven't seen any TT of him that is remotely in the same league. Last year at the EU ITT U23 he got handily beaten by 2 guys who lost 1 minute to Evenepoel over 20k just a few months earlier. I'm not saying Pidcock couldn't potentially be a GT contender, but he would definitely need to make compromises (CX, MTB, classics...) and focus more on his TT and climbing.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

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Love this kid…
As a sprinter, it’s not often you ride a race with a serious General Classification teammate. What’s rarer, is one that treats you with respect & dignity as a sprinter. When they appreciate the limited work you can do for them, you cannot imagine how rewarding it is. But when they get stuck in to the chaos of a bunch sprint, showing belief in you by putting themselves at risk, that’s special.
@bradwiggins riding like this is still some of the most amazing memories I have in this sport. @remco.ev does the same. There’s some riders who were made to lead and these 2 are the shining examples in my career. The ability to target something with a blinkered focus when their every day on the bike is scrutinised, their every word is scrutinised, is why they reach heights that can only be achieved by few.
Always with a smile, taking everything in your stride with such a weight on your shoulders at your age. It’s an honour to ride with you kiddo. Never change x