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

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Jan 8, 2020
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Conta was supposed to race the Dauphine and humiliate ASO that year. That was when ASO was all out against Bryuneel and refused to allow Bruyneel's team race.

He was a few weeks before reaching his peak when he raced that Giro
Contador was ironically hampered by Bryuneel, riding as he did in the wake of the Armstrong era, because, unlike the American, he never got the benefits of a "Golden Age."
 
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Astana was invited to the Giro a WEEK before it started. While he wasn't exactly devoid of racing (and hence the smiley face), he also certainly hadn't prepared specifically for the Giro. Not sure what about that it so annoying? Whether he actually was on the beach when he got the call no one but the team knows, but certainly it was impressive that he was able to win given his sub-optimal prep.
I am aware of this and doesn't change my opinion of the hype. Contador beat Ricco who never achieved anything of note other than clinic notoriety and Marzio Bruseghin. Hardly world beaters. Very weak field and the condition Contador had was more than adequate despite the disrupted prep. There were other riders of that time who would have also cleaned up had they raced. Contador was certainly training, "sitting on a beach" implies he wasn't riding which is hype and nonsense.
 
Jan 8, 2020
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I am aware of this and doesn't change my opinion of the hype. Contador beat Ricco who never achieved anything of note other than clinic notoriety and Marzio Bruseghin. Hardly world beaters. Very weak field and the condition Contador had was more than adequate despite the disrupted prep. There were other riders of that time who would have also cleaned up had they raced. Contador was certainly training, "sitting on a beach" implies he wasn't riding which is hype and nonsense.
Wait a second, Ricco, whatever was behind It, was a bad as ***.
 
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I am aware of this and doesn't change my opinion of the hype. Contador beat Ricco who never achieved anything of note other than clinic notoriety and Marzio Bruseghin. Hardly world beaters. Very weak field and the condition Contador had was more than adequate despite the disrupted prep. There were other riders of that time who would have also cleaned up had they raced. Contador was certainly training, "sitting on a beach" implies he wasn't riding which is hype and nonsense.
His prep wasn't "disrupted", he straight up wasn't prepping for the Giro. Contador was an amazing rider. That it still bothers you might be more about you, not him. :)
 
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Big Doopie

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Sorry but the Contador 2008 Giro "sitting on a beach" claim has annoyed me for 14 years :(. Its not something I would joke about because some of his fanboys actually believed it. Alberto was a fantastic rider but is subject to the same rules of human physiology as everyone else.

Lol he was also under bruyneel. Discussing what he was able to do and y literally cannot be honestly discussed in this part of the forum.
 
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Jan 8, 2020
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Just read an interview of Marta Cavalli in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport, recent winner of Mount Ventoux Challenge as well as Amstel and Fleche-Wallonne this spring. Her approach to the coming Giro Femminile sounds perfect for Remco and the Tour:): "I don't want to focus on a specific objective, to not live the delusion should it not arrive. I only want to arrive in good condition to play my own cards."

I know he's not going, but one is free to fantasize.
 
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Just read an interview of Marta Cavalli in today's la Gazzetta dello Sport, recent winner of Mount Ventoux Challenge as well as Amstel and Fleche-Wallonne this spring. Her approach to the coming Giro Femminile sounds perfect for Remco and the Tour:): "I don't want to focus on a specific objective, to not live the delusion should it not arrive. I only want to arrive in good condition to play my own cards."

I know he's not going, but one is free to fantasize.
Remco will race Le Tour of 2023...not 2022.
 
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Big Doopie

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Given that he crushed everyone in Norway, it's either the heat or Covid.

yes, and this is the ongoing difficulty in situating him.

here is a guy who arguably looked strongest on the first day over somewhat similar terrain.

here is a guy who dominates lesser stage races in a way that other top riders are unable.

here is a guy who can dominate any single-day race on a given day.

however, he has also shown his greatest weaknesses when dealing with successive days in pro tour level stage races.

all sorts of excuses can be made for these defeats and many are valid. for instance, in a way, i hope that it is the heat (or even Covid) this time.

but ultimately he does have to prove capable of doing it.
 

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