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

[Nick2413]

I would rather get 3rd in the Tour than 2nd in Vuelta (in response to comment above). And if both of those are a possibility it’s worth the roll of the dice to do the Tour. Which will always be a roll of the dice if only a win is considered success.

 

[Red Rick]

It is not really a climb that suits him the best.

In the stage he was only 14 seconds behind Uran, who finished 2nd overall. 16 seconds behind Bardet, who finished 3rd overall.

Landa was 27 seconds behind Thomas on that stage and he almost got on the podium in the end. Before that he had finished 17th overall and won the mountains classification in the Giro.

Sky were still dominating and I think Thomas would have had a pretty good shot at a top 5 this edition, but we will never get the answer on that.

Thomas was literally best of the peloton on Planche in 2019.

 

[Red Rick]

Why would he be afraid to lose the Vuelta? Or any other race, for that matter?

Keep the myth alive.

But being afraid to lose seems more common among fans than the rider

 

[Oldermanish]

My very big problem with going to the Tour without trying to win is how is Tour de France breakaways worth more than trying to win the Vuelta again?

And, if Roglic is on form there isn't a guarantee that won't be another disappointment.
The debut in GTs for young riders almost always came with the caveat of not breaking them physically or emotionally in years past. Now the pressure is win or step aside for the next new thing. Some have mentioned the "brand" pressure on Patrick which can be a real thing. Sponsorships are about several things: Winning, winning and winning. A significantly weak overall season can cost them a fair amount of cash; the reason for Remco's abandonment could be more than his apparent C19. I would be hesitant to buy into the conspiracy theories, though.

 

[red_flanders]

Keep the myth alive.

But being afraid to lose seems more common among fans than the rider

I would agree. There's nothing about this kid's attitude that suggests to me he's afraid of anyone. Right or wrong, he thinks he's gonna win.

That narrative amongst the fans is one of the dumber ones I've seen.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

My very big problem with going to the Tour without trying to win is how is Tour de France breakaways worth more than trying to win the Vuelta again?

If Evenepoel races the Tour it's for the GC, not breakaways. I don't know what would be their plan regarding his form though. Surely rest for the next couple of weeks and then what? Maintaining peak for so long is difficult. Going off the peak form and rebuilding takes more time (maybe they can try it with a shallower fitness drop as his current peak isn't completely "used up").

 

[KZD]

If you're Evenepoel settling for stage wins + top 10 is just what?

You're not gonna convince me he's more likely to hit top form for the Tour than Vuelta. You're also not gonna convince me 3rd in the Tour is a better result than winning a 2nd Vuelta.

The only reason to go to the Tour if is you really think he can win it, or, more likely, you're afraid to lose at the Vuelta.

Everyone can give a different value to races but I can't be the only one that thinks that for a rider that already won the Vuelta, 3rd in the Tour is more important than winning a second Vuelta because his biggest career goal is to win the Tour.

The Tour is clearly the most important race in cycling, a stage win + top10 is not meaningless like you are trying to make it sound and Remco would have the chance of doing it wearing the rainbow jersey an opportunity that he might never have in his career.

About your last paragraph, the point is not if he is afraid to lose the Vuelta or not, the point if that given that his summer goal is the World Championships, held in the first part of August, winning a climbing heavy Vuelta, that ends more than a month later seems a bit unrealistic.

 

[Red Rick]

Everyone can give a different value to races but I can't be the only one that thinks that for a rider that already won the Vuelta, 3rd in the Tour is more important than winning a second Vuelta because his biggest career goal is to win the Tour.

The Tour is clearly the most important race in cycling, a stage win + top10 is not meaningless like you are trying to make it sound and Remco would have the chance of doing it wearing the rainbow jersey an opportunity that he might never have in his career.

About your last paragraph, the point is not if he is afraid to lose the Vuelta or not, the point if that given that his summer goal is the World Championships, held in the first part of August, winning a climbing heavy Vuelta, that ends more than a month later seems a bit unrealistic.

If the career goal is to win the Tour then getting 3rd doesn't really help that goal does it?

 

[Mayomaniac]

If the career goal is to win the Tour then getting 3rd doesn't really help that goal does it?

At the same time experiencing the hectic first week of the Tour once before actually racing it to win it helps.
I agree with you that he shouldn't race it this year, but there is a case to be made that they should have send him to the Tour as a learning experience (and some other race before it) in 2021.

 

[groogster]

Actually i would rate the "Hvastja" generation, the one before the golden one, as mid tier one. I couldn't agree it was on an amateur level. Mostly used as doms, still good enough to make traction. And due to being good enough to stay in cycling after their careers. That enabled the penetration of top tier Slovenian cyclists into pro road peloton.



I rate Roglič being slightly ahead too. This season really dominating so far.

Imo Remco is the 2nd best rider in the world, behind Pogacar. I rank Roglic the 3rd

 

[KZD]

If the career goal is to win the Tour then getting 3rd doesn't really help that goal does it?

Of course it helps, it gives him the experience of racing the Tour and for GC. It would surely be more helpful than winning a second Vuelta.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Imo Remco is the 2nd best rider in the world, behind Pogacar. I rank Roglic the 3rd

MVDP?

 

[Sciatic]

If Evenepoel races the Tour it's for the GC, not breakaways. I don't know what would be their plan regarding his form though. Surely rest for the next couple of weeks and then what? Maintaining peak for so long is difficult. Going off the peak form and rebuilding takes more time (maybe they can try it with a shallower fitness drop as his current peak isn't completely "used up").

Also, if he is “sick as a dog” now with COVID it might be a longer till he’s symptom free and back to full capacity. Depends on the course of the virus for him,

 

[Salvarani]

Thomas was literally best of the peloton on Planche in 2019.

The question was about who had done a good Tour bid, after a failed Giro.

Thomas at least was looking like he had the potential to do something in 2017, but unfortunately crashed.

Going by what he managed to do in the editions after… he was probably pretty capable here already.

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Red Rick]

At the same time experiencing the hectic first week of the Tour once before actually racing it to win it helps.
I agree with you that he shouldn't race it this year, but there is a case to be made that they should have send him to the Tour as a learning experience (and some other race before it) in 2021.

Meh, too much emphasis on intangibles and common sayings that I'm not even sure have that much bearing in reality. It's not like he's never been in a nervous peloton before. If *** goes wrong you can't control it either.

Pogacar won his 1st 2 Tours. Vingegaard got 2nd in his first and won his 2nd.

The nervousness and the possible crashing aspect is way overrated in my opinion. Especially if you a selective start. Secondly, basically every race has nervous bunch sprints these days.

 

[Red Rick]

The question was about who had done a good Tour bid, after a failed Giro.

Thomas at least was looking like he had the potential to do something in 2017.

Going by what he managed to do in the editions after, he was probably pretty capable here already. Thanks for pointing that out.

I don't count crashing out in the first week as a succesful bid sorry.

 

[Lequack]

Remco should've blamed a Bahrain rider for quitting. Just to spice things up.

 

[Salvarani]

I don't count crashing out in the first week as a succesful bid sorry.

I was just tryna offer something to your question, wont happen again.

 

[peterfin]

I would agree. There's nothing about this kid's attitude that suggests to me he's afraid of anyone. Right or wrong, he thinks he's gonna win.

That narrative amongst the fans is one of the dumber ones I've seen.

I think the narratives are partly driven by the fact that many people do not believe covid is a real thread so they look for other reasons. There is a real split in our society between those that think covid is just a cold and those that understand the risks in particular for certain people (obese, old, sportsmans etc). Many people are basically experimentalists. They need to see something before they believe something. If you were never exposed to deadly or severe risk (yourself, family, friends ...) then there is no risk. On top of that you have the "viral" belief that vaccines are bad. This is as old as there are vaccines and except for religious regions typically comes from the false idea that vaccines are deadly in particular for young people so you don't do it even if it would protect society as a whole. So even when there is the real drama due to covid, the vaccine can be used as the narrative why he or she or they suffered or died.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Meh, too much emphasis on intangibles and common sayings that I'm not even sure have that much bearing in reality. It's not like he's never been in a nervous peloton before. If *** goes wrong you can't control it either.

Pogacar won his 1st 2 Tours. Vingegaard got 2nd in his first and won his 2nd.

The nervousness and the possible crashing aspect is way overrated in my opinion. Especially if you a selective start. Secondly, basically every race has nervous bunch sprints these days.

You have a point when it comes to more races having really hectics starts and sprint stages, it's not like back in the Armstrong days when many of the climbers who did well in the Giro/Vuelta were a bit shell shocked after experiencing the flat stages at the start of the Tour.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Hard one IMO. I think what might make the biggest sense it try to fluke Worlds without 100% prep, Vuelta peak and Lombardia, but I would prefer him doing Tour de France. But I doubt that's the smartest thing if you just wanna beef up your palmares, so thats purely selfish on my part.

 

[Lequack]

Also Quickstep behind the scenes week 1. Suggest giving it a watch.

View: https://youtu.be/WWIG8Pv9WRM

 

[groogster]

When guys like Pidcock and Roglic refuse to work with him because they know they would get dropped like a brick, who do you think is going to work with him when he goes for stages in the Tour? Why should that even be goal in itself for him?

The only way they should send him is if they think he has at least an outsider's chance to go for GC. And if he himself is content to let the WCC become an afterthought.

Remco will go to TDF only when he has the conditions to fight for the win! He will not accept any other way and may I add, Belgium fans also.
I’m not his biggest fan and also don’t want to see Remco in a GT only to try or to go for stages!
Riders like Remco or Pogacar are one level above the others

 

[houtdffan]

Also, if he is “sick as a dog” now with COVID it might be a longer till he’s symptom free and back to full capacity. Depends on the course of the virus for him,

Lefevre said Remco is feeling better today

 

[saunaking]

Everyone can give a different value to races but I can't be the only one that thinks that for a rider that already won the Vuelta, 3rd in the Tour is more important than winning a second Vuelta because his biggest career goal is to win the Tour.

The Tour is clearly the most important race in cycling, a stage win + top10 is not meaningless like you are trying to make it sound and Remco would have the chance of doing it wearing the rainbow jersey an opportunity that he might never have in his career.

About your last paragraph, the point is not if he is afraid to lose the Vuelta or not, the point if that given that his summer goal is the World Championships, held in the first part of August, winning a climbing heavy Vuelta, that ends more than a month later seems a bit unrealistic.

i watch 200hrs of cycling in a year and i dont know who got 3rd in last years' tour off the top of my head lol

edit- how could i forget G's epic battles to place 4th a bunch of times in the last week to hold onto that podium spot by a scant 6 minutes