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

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Jun 10, 2022
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Looking ahead, I'd like him to take a crack at the Giro (+ Vuelta, unless Glasgow produces a course that fits him like a glove) next year, rather than the Tour. (...) QS and Remco are far from the finished product. The Giro is the perfect place to gather some more insight.
No. Le Tour is where it's really at. There's really no point in continuing to ignore/avoid the Tour. If you can beat Mas and Rog (which he just did), you can win a hundred Giros and Vueltas. Real GC contenders go to the Tour.

Imho they should reduce Vuelta and Giro to 2 weeks so that the GC field isn't split between Giro/Tour/Vuelta. Let's make everyone go to the Tour, and if Giro/Vuelta are just 2 weeks it'd be easier for folks who also want to do a second GT.

I'm Belgian but if he does another Giro/Vuelta boringfest (which it will be) next year not gonna watch.
 
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Aug 3, 2015
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You dont waste years of psychical prime targetting lesser races like Giro d' Italia in my book being as good as Remco. Off to Tour de France, and remember to leave Jacobsen and Mørkøv at home.

If ASO doesn't *** this up, he'll line up in France im pretty sure.
 
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Jan 8, 2020
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You dont waste years of psychical prime targetting lesser races like Giro d' Italia in my book being as good as Remco. Off to Tour de France, and remember to leave Jacobsen and Mørkøv at home.

If ASO doesn't *** this up, he'll line up in France im pretty sure.
I think the title sponsors will think likewise. The Tour simply hogs 80 percent of the annual cycling publicity. He's going to the Tour. And let's hope for a 50km timetrial.
 
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May 4, 2011
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Agreed, hate it or love it, the Tour is where it's at. Evenepoel understands that perfectly well ...and now he gets to decide, with a convincing Vuelta win almost in the bag. Lefevere is no longer in charge of his career, I don't think.
 
Sep 22, 2020
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More talk of the Giro next: https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/after-his-vuelta-a-espana-win-whats-next-for-remco-evenepoel/

PL confirms that this wasn't his first GT win:
"He was at pains to recall that this was not his first victory as a director in a Grand Tour, even if it was the first for QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl, but his third, as he was a sports director with Mapei when Tony Rominger won the Vuelta in 1994 and Giro d’Italia in 1995. Furthermore, he then took second with Enric Mas in the Vuelta in 2018 and second with Rigoberto Urán in the 2014 Giro. “But this is of course more special,” he continued, “Remco has won, he is Belgian and we are a Belgian team. That’s extra good, but it shouldn’t be about me, the honour is for him and the team.”"

and goes on to say:
""While also genuinely happy for Remco, Lefevere added on a sarcastic note that he was “also [happy] for those who only are negative. How many times have we heard…’ Remco can’t do this, Remco can’t handle three weeks, Remco can’t handle steep climbs.’”

Using an over-the-shoulder gesture to indicate that “all these comments” were now forcibly something that had to be thrown away, Lefevere concluded, “They [the critics] will all have to eat their words.”
...
“I’m an old hand in the business, let’s not get carried away. The plan was to go to the Tour in 2025 with ambition. We are now a few years ahead of schedule, but in my head, it will be the Giro again next year.”
"
 
More talk of the Giro next: https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/after-his-vuelta-a-espana-win-whats-next-for-remco-evenepoel/

PL confirms that this wasn't his first GT win:
"He was at pains to recall that this was not his first victory as a director in a Grand Tour, even if it was the first for QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl, but his third, as he was a sports director with Mapei when Tony Rominger won the Vuelta in 1994 and Giro d’Italia in 1995. Furthermore, he then took second with Enric Mas in the Vuelta in 2018 and second with Rigoberto Urán in the 2014 Giro. “But this is of course more special,” he continued, “Remco has won, he is Belgian and we are a Belgian team. That’s extra good, but it shouldn’t be about me, the honour is for him and the team.”"

and goes on to say:
""While also genuinely happy for Remco, Lefevere added on a sarcastic note that he was “also [happy] for those who only are negative. How many times have we heard…’ Remco can’t do this, Remco can’t handle three weeks, Remco can’t handle steep climbs.’”

Using an over-the-shoulder gesture to indicate that “all these comments” were now forcibly something that had to be thrown away, Lefevere concluded, “They [the critics] will all have to eat their words.”
...
“I’m an old hand in the business, let’s not get carried away. The plan was to go to the Tour in 2025 with ambition. We are now a few years ahead of schedule, but in my head, it will be the Giro again next year.”
"
Remco in front of VTM cameras, insinuating TDF isn't out of the question, but it would depend on the parcours (TT kilometers).
 
Jul 10, 2014
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His new bike

FcYEzqEXkAELQIE
 
Jan 8, 2020
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Too early for a giro / tour double

That could be 2024 when he is 24. That is when Merckx did his first double
Yea, but seriously, if he does the Giro and wins, he could go to the Tour for the experience. I know that's not popular these days, but I miss the cycling when many a champion did both GTs in the same season!
 
Oct 19, 2011
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I'm Belgian but if he does another Giro/Vuelta boringfest (which it will be) next year not gonna watch.
The Giro with Remco against a bunch of more specialized climbers could provide excellent racing if the route was properly designed. Something like 70-80 km of ITT, a couple of BIG mountain stages including climbs like Mortirolo, Finestre, Stelvio, Fauniera or the biggest Dolomites climbs, one or two big MTFs like Siusi/Bondone and perhaps a monster murito stage. But right now that seems highly unlikely.

I'm not that big a fan of Remco as many else, but his final breakthrough as GC riders does provide some very interesting opportunities if he chooses the Tour. Then we could have three great GC contenders pitted against each other. It doesn't only provide the potential for some great duels, but also to custom design a GT for best possible GC action because you're certain you will have the specific riders contending.

There have been some people in this forum whining on the lack of ITT for GTs for many years, but IMO it wouldn't have made much difference in most GTs. But now it actucally makes sense. If ASO could be almost certain that Remco chooses the Tour. He could in peak shape gain perhaps 2-3 minutes on Pog and Jonas in 70-80 km of ITT, and then you also could design the mountain stages to compensate for that with a some big MTFs after other tough climbs and a couple of stages that encourages long range attacks.
 
Jul 20, 2019
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Yea, but seriously, if he does the Giro and wins, he could go to the Tour for the experience. I know that's not popular these days, but I miss the cycling when many a champion did both GTs in the same season!

it would be tempting as he'd have 2 GTs with a chance to hold all 3 at once, something only Froome and Merckx has done in the history of the sport
 
Jan 8, 2020
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I think the shortening of TTs in modern GT cycling is based on the reasoning that the best overall guys can climb like Pantani and tt like Indurain (I'm exaggerating to make a point). Thus if there are long TTs then it kills the race, because the time gaps are such that the climbers have no chance. But now I think it's time to return to 50+ km TTs, because between the best today you need those distances to establish the true hierarchy, in theory the climbing between Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel a more fortunate Roglic being very similar.
 
Nov 12, 2010
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Today's cycling means u have to simultaneously time a peak form and an optimum minimum weight at once. This is difficult to do once let alone twice. Just look at Hindley and a lot of the other Giro participants. This can be attempted 5 years down the line once the behavior of his body is analyzed over the course of 5 GTs. Attempting such a thing immediately may lead to the next season getting affected or premature end to his career.
 
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Oct 6, 2009
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I want to see him 100% ready for LBL, Lombardia and the Worlds so whatever GT plan fits in with that I’m happy.

100%.

If Giro allows him to prep worlds and Lombardy best, he should do that. Remco’s San Sebastián form would make him a favorite to win on any tough worlds route and Lombardy as well most likely.
 
May 4, 2011
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Remco in front of VTM cameras, insinuating TDF isn't out of the question, but it would depend on the parcours (TT kilometers).

Evenepoel could potentially be wasting his best year - or his best year relative to the opposition - on the Giro, like Dumo. I don't think he needs a lot of TT mileage to compete for a Tour win, considering the level he showed at the Vuelta.

Just not too many stages stages that are tailor-made for Vingegaard, maybe.
 
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