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

[Extinction]

He already looks like he's dropped 2 kilos and there is a method to the madness:

"It's a lot of training, a lot of altitude camps, but we saw last year that it works for me, so there's no need to change anything or try any different approaches," he said back in January at the Soudal-QuickStep team presentation.

"For me, it works well to have a period that's pretty calm, then blocks of racing which are more stressful. When I go to races, I go with the pressure to win or perform. Combining that with the camps, where there's no pressure, just a job to be done, that's what helps me deal with the stress. It helps me throw myself at my objectives."

 

[Venge 82]

Are his volcano rides not good enough?

Of course it is. More than good enough. Just curious to see this in a race against an in-form Roglic ;-)

 

[Venge 82]

Soudal QuickStep team for Catalunya:

Cattaneo
Evenepoel
Hirt
Masnada
Serry
Van Wilder
Vervaeke

I think that could be the Giro team as well (+ Ballerini, or maybe one of Cavagna/Cerny?).

Nice line-up for the Giro! And as IlMaestro99 says, good they are training together (Jumbo approach).

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

His schedule has probably been posted but what does him doing the Giro mean for the Ardennes? Will he do them?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

His schedule has probably been posted but what does him doing the Giro mean for the Ardennes? Will he do them?

He target Liege before Giro and after Catalunya. He likely won't do Fleche and definitely no Amstel

 

[Berniece]

He target Liege before Giro and after Catalunya. He likely won't do Fleche and definitely no Amstel

He is also doing Brabantse Pijl I think

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He is also doing Brabantse Pijl I think

He won't do that because is only 16 days between Catalunya and Brabant Pijl. Not enough time to recover from Catalunya and then go to a proper training camp for il Giro. If he does it's bad programming by Quickestep

 

[Andre]

So by how much will he win Catalunya you reckon?

A minute and a half

 

[Big Doopie]

He won't do that because is only 16 days between Catalunya and Brabant Pijl. Not enough time to recover from Catalunya and then go to a proper training camp for il Giro. If he does it's bad programming by Quickestep

It’s in his schedule. But we know how that can change.

 

[Berflamand]

I don't think he's doing Brabantse Pijl. I've never heard/seen him confirm his participation, he has only ever been talking about Liège between Catalunya and the Giro. I don't know why PCS and other media outlets have it in his schedule but I think it's a mistake.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

It’s in his schedule. But we know how that can change.

Who said that? I have always seen his schedule as San Juan - UAE - Cataluña -Liege - Giro

 

[red_flanders]

Evenepoel's next appointment will come in Catalunya, where he'll make his debut and take on three summit finishes at Vallter, La Molina, and Lo Port. Another trip to altitude will follow ahead of a trip back to Belgium for Brabantse Pijl and his Liège-Bastogne-Liège title defence.

Remco Evenepoel heads to altitude in Tenerife after UAE Tour triumph

Belgian set for Mount Teide training camp ahead of Volta a Catalunya later this month

www.cyclingnews.com

It’s been out there for a while about him riding Brabantse Pijl, who knows how accurate it is.

 

[xREv]

La qualité plutôt que la quantité pour Remco Evenepoel en 2023

Trois courses par étapes avant Liège-Bastogne-Liège et le Giro: Remco Evenepoel a annoncé vendredi le programme allégé...

www.rtbf.be

No Brabantse Pijl. Only LBL.

 

[Berniece]

La qualité plutôt que la quantité pour Remco Evenepoel en 2023

Trois courses par étapes avant Liège-Bastogne-Liège et le Giro: Remco Evenepoel a annoncé vendredi le programme allégé...

www.rtbf.be

No Brabantse Pijl. Only LBL.

That's from January, the latest report was 12 days ago that he'll ride Brabantse Pijl. PCS also thinks he is riding Brabantse.

It also doesn't make sense to me to do a altitude camp of only 12 days to come back for Brabantse.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Who want to do with me a wager ? €100? I say he won't race Brabantse Pijl.

Pcs get things wrong all the time, anybody can submit a schedule

Cyclingnews didn't give a source for his Brabant pijL participation nor a quote from remco. They also got wrong who was attending the training camp.

Brabant pijl is too soon after Volta cataluna if you want to be flying for Giro

 

[Venge 82]

14/02 in Het Laatste Nieuws:
"Evenepoel will ride the UAE Tour from 20 February. Next month will be the Tour of Catalonia, followed by the Giro via the Brabantse Pijl and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He fills the off-course periods in between with training and altitude training."

4 days ago on Eurosport:
"Hermsen continued: "The Ardennes riders want to score in the Brabantse Pijl, which is why Remco Evenepoel is also riding it." The course has changed a lot in recent years since the start location became Leuven. This change took place in 2007 and before that the semi-classic was mainly a cobbled race."

There are also plenty of other sources. Are they all wrong?

Anyway, I agree Brabantse Pijl is maybe not the best way to prepare for the Giro. We'll see...

 

[Berflamand]

I'm with Ilmaestro here. I know multiple (media) sources have stated that he would be riding Brabantse Pijl but I think they are just copying it from each other or from PCS. I haven't seen/heard Remco or his trainer or his team saying that he would ride Brabantse Pijl, only Liège is always mentioned. Which is why I doubt it's in his schedule.

I could be wrong though so any betting/wager will have to be done with Ilmaestro.

 

[Venge 82]

Damn, I would have loved to see if he could ride in the gutter now...
Another thing we could have ticked off.

 

[johnymax]

Is he going to be the sole leader for Catalunya or co-leader with Masnada?

 

[peterfin]

Damn, I would have loved to see if he could ride in the gutter now...
Another thing we could have ticked off.

Last year he said that he was not coming back. He doesn't want to ride the "Hertstraat" anymore, especially not when it rains. On the other hand it's also almost a local race for him. His hometown is close to the parcours (~10-15 km), so he would please many local fans if he does start.

 

[Andre]

...maybe it's still up in the air about Brabantse Pijl

 

[Riek s]

Would assume that his participation in BP depends on how he feels and performs in Catalunya and if it makes sense for a another stress block for LBL.

 

[Red Rick]

Why Brabantse Pijl but not Amstel or Fleche?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Remco is preparing some serious w/kg for the Giro, no doubts.

 

[Riek s]

Why Brabantse Pijl but not Amstel or Fleche?

Honestly no id. Last year he rode fleche for Julian. But AGR should suit him very well i believe.