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

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He did it at Strade Bianche. He did it multiple times in TDF last year

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.

One could ask oneself if one were a pro cyclist, which would one want to win most. Paris-Roubaix or Vuelta a Burgos? LBL or Tour of Britain?
post script: I'm working on my English

I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

 

[Andre]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

What I mean is that I believe the importance of a race is the rider's own preference. I mean a certain rider may have it in his mind that winning a certain one day race is more important to him than winning a Tirreno...or vice versa. He may have a certain race in his heart to win at the expense of another that may or may not be more important.

 

[tobydawq]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

 

[Extinction]

What I mean is that I believe the importance of a race is the rider's own preference. I mean a certain rider may have it in his mind that winning a certain one day race is more important to him than winning a Tirreno...or vice versa. He may have a certain race in his heart to win at the expense of another that may or may not be more important.

It's not just what the rider prefers, that's easy, but what he is capable of in a sport that awards greatest glory to the Tour. Now, work downward from that, with all the calculations and variables, and it's elementary my dear Watson. GTs are higher than monuments, but monuments are higher than the rest of the stage races.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

Nothing wrong with Valverde other than him not having won a major race in ages and the fact that he is my age. Nothing wrong with Asgreen except that Strade's profile is a bit too much climbing for him to be considered a real contender. The heavy hitters simply weren't at the start, or crashed out halfway in that crazy wind crash. By competition, i clearly meant realistic favorites and potential winners.

 

[Blanco]

Roubaix is above the WC.

No, it isn't.

 

[Blanco]

a GT is above any 1 day race

Yes, but the Worlds is very close to Giro and Vuelta

 

[Berniece]

Uh, what's wrong with Valverde and Asgreen?

How is it relevant that the former is retired and that the latter would have a woeful season when he evidently was on a great day there?

Yes, the field was lacking a bit but it certainly wasn't that bad competition.

Field was severely lacking. Every rider that made the race the year before wasn't there.

But that's honestly always my feeling with Pogacar. If everyone (Alaphilippe, WVA, MVP) is at 100% he won't finish solo. He might still win the sprint but he won't be able to ride away.

 

[Andy schleck]

It's time to turn the tables on this meme.

Remco wasn't there.

And in all seriousness, there actually was no competition at Strade. No Alaphilippe, no Van Aert, no Van der Poel, not even Schachmann, Pidcock or Bettiol. The now retired Valverde came in 2nd, 10 seconds ahead of the 3rd, a rider who would not perform all season, Asgreen.


I don't think anybody is saying PR or RVV are not more important than Algarve or Britain. Rather, if they are more important than Tirreno, Dauphiné or Suisse.

And so what? There wasn't also competition at the vuelta for remco. Pogacar and vingegaard weren't there. He beat the all mighty Mas.

 

[Bolder]

Field was severely lacking. Every rider that made the race the year before wasn't there.

But that's honestly always my feeling with Pogacar. If everyone (Alaphilippe, WVA, MVP) is at 100% he won't finish solo. He might still win the sprint but he won't be able to ride away.

Yeah, but there's never a race in which "everyone" is there or at 100 percent.

 

[Berniece]

Yeah, but there's never a race in which "everyone" is there or at 100 percent.

Very true, but you just need to compare Strade 2021 with 2022 to know that it was much easier in 2022. I don't think Pogacar would have been able to ride away like he did in 2022, with the riders of 2021 there. I also think that Pogacar wouldn't dare to make such a move from so far out. He's an incredibly smart rider, he would attack to make the race harder, but he wouldn't go for a solo 50km from the finish line with Alaphilippe, MVDA, WVA, and Bernal chasing him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And so what? There wasn't also competition at the vuelta for remco. Pogacar and vingegaard weren't there. He beat the all mighty Mas.

That one went straight over your head, didn't it.

 

[Andy schleck]

That one went straight over your head, didn't it.

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

 

[Extinction]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

I really think it is a factor of both. In other words, who is in the race and in what condition matters regarding the win. Does this take anything from Pog's Strade win or Remco's win? Of course not, however, when the competition is higher it does add luster to the victory imo.

 

[Andre]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

You haven't minimized Remco's achievements cause you can't, and when you try to it sounds illogical. You put Mas down as if he were nothing when in fact he was a very close level with Tadej.

 

[Salvarani]

There are always gonna be circumstances surrounding a race.

It still takes guts to do what Pog did in SB. Pulling off a long solo-attack to win the race. Who knows if he will ever win that race again? Because winning bike races aint easy.

Remco prepared himself perfectly and executed what he had as a goal for a long time. Who knows if he will win a GT again?

Point is. Dont take what these rider have done or won for granted. The window could be short.

And if we are gonna say who wasnt there or in form every time a rider wins a race... what are we really discussing and why? What is the point of this discussion?

Some of yall take the fun out of everything and just sound miserable.

 

[Extinction]

There are always gonna be circumstances surrounding a race.

It still takes guts to do what Pog did in SB. Pulling off a long solo-attack to win the race. Who knows if he will ever win that race again? Because winning bike races aint easy.

Remco prepared himself perfectly and executed what he had as a goal for a long time. Who knows if he will win a GT again?

Point is. Dont take what these rider have done or won for granted. The window could be short.

And if we are gonna say who wasnt there or in form every time a rider wins a race... what are we really discussing and why? What is the point of this discussion?

Some of yall take the fun out of everything and just sound miserable.

Yea, sure, but this all started because a certain Valverde said that Remco was by far the best and then all hell broke loose.

 

[tobydawq]

Yea, sure, but this all started because a certain Valverde said that Remco was by far the best and then all hell broke loose.

This season he won three major races. Nobody won two. So he is either infinitely as good or three times as good as all other riders of the peloton. Q.E.D.

 

[Extinction]

This season he won three major races. Nobody won two. So he is either infinitely as good or three times as good as all other riders of the peloton. Q.E.D.

Better yet, he won a monument (and Liege no less), a GT and WCRR, quod erat demonstrandum.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That's the best you got? Do you see how really easy is to minimize achievements of the riders? I just followed your logic( i thought logic was your friend).

Now speaking how things really are. Remco deserves all the credit for his victory at the vuelta, like pogacar deserves all the credit for his victory at the Strade bianche. Crashes, bad shape of the riders, absences, are all part of the race. It shouldn't take merit to the riders.

The best i got was clearly more than enough. Going over your head appears to have been an understatement actually. It was a reference to 3 years of people downplaying Evenepoel's wins because X, Y or Z weren't at the race. That's why i opened with "time to turn the tabels on this meme". I would have thought that gave it away, but you proved me wrong.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Forgot about it, belongs more towards the bottom of the list just like podium in the biggest one day races.

TdS is at the least on the same level as the other stage races, and should be by CdD honestly. That’s way too much of a disservice to have it that low.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Yes, but the Olympic RR used to be an amateur event and thus does not have the pedigree as Worlds (in cycling). Yet now they are probably equally prestigious on the day, but the Rainbow Jersey in cycling means more, as the wearer is a point of reference for an entire season. Although, for the athletes, as Bettini put it, the intercollegate and global aspects, have now made by he Olympic RR a huge deal, even if only cycling fans will watch it.

The Olympic winner is called that for 4 years and after compared to former Worlds or monument winner sometimes being forgotten the years after they won.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Which is y I specifically said: “I am aware that riders target it…”

As @Extinction pointed out Olympics simply do not have the history and tradition within pro cycling. That is a simple fact. The Worlds Champ wears a specific jersey for an entire year. For the Olympics, the rider has to be provided with a golden helmet or bike by their sponsor as a gimmick. How many pro cycling Olympics have there been? 7-8? All in recent times so…

Meaningless to me anyway.

And they get to be called the Olympic champion and referenced as the former champion for years vs Worlds or monument winners being forgotten unless it’s in that race. Samuel Sanchez was being called the former Olympic champion all the way to his last year.

 

[houtdffan]

Yes, but the Worlds is very close to Giro and Vuelta

Which is why I put it between the Giro/Vuelta and the monuments and the big 4 week long stage races

 

[Extinction]

The Olympic winner is called that for 4 years and after compared to former Worlds or monument winner sometimes being forgotten the years after they won.

Yea, even I don't pay attention to the 4-year aspect, when we have another Rainbow Jersey each season.