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

[theyoungest]

What's the difference in covid spreading risk between those two?

Theoretically the risk is probably higher in a ski lift among the general public.

 

[Berniece]

If there was some secret conspiracy going on, the first rider they'd pull out is Van Wilder.

Not really because Van Wilder has a bigger status than just a domestique. He's a talent that is given the possibility to ride some races himself to test him. Now being in the Giro, without a leader is a great test for him.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

4 more SQS riders out with COVID. The speculation whether they really have COVID or are being prepared for the Tour can start.

Really? Haha, that's exactly what I was thinking about recently: the old man withdraws the rest of his team due to "COVID" to prepare for the Tour

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Bookmakers are worried. Remco into 9/2 from (an already ridiculous) 7/1 yesterday to win the Tour.
The lad has been winning me good money but I’m not going there.

 

[peterfin]

3 of the 4 infected Soudal riders where sitting close together on the back seat of the heli together with Remco. It could be that Remco qualifies as "mass spreader". So if he was in the ski lift half of the peleton had to go home by now. I wonder what the UCI thinks of this because they where clearly against using the heli.

 

[Mayomaniac]

3 of the 4 infected Soudal riders where sitting close together on the back seat of the heli together with Remco. It could be that Remco qualifies as "mass spreader". So if he was in the ski lift half of the peleton had to go home by now. I wonder what the UCI thinks of this because they where clearly against using the heli.

I think the UCI is in the wrong here because RCS had offered it to all the teams as a service that they'd have to pay for. So it wasn't really a case of favouritism towards some teams, they all had the opportunity to do it.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I would DNS for a lukewarm beer.

An Earl Grey would do me.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I'm 100% convinced Evenepoel was sick and has covid. He looked sick and his performance wasn't there. However, it wouldn't surprise me they pulled out those riders just to make sure they are good to support him in the Tour or Vuelta. Especially after that GdS article. In that case it would make sense to leave Van Wilder if he isn't sick, as a testcase. Like someone pointed out, he's down in GC, there are no expectations, no pressure. He has no support team so he just has to tag along and see where it takes him. On the other hand, he has yet to show his best form this Giro. Van Wilder so far has stayed below what i expect of him so far. Fo course, maybe he also suffered from covid (or something else) but a lot less. Who knows.

 

[Berniece]

However, it wouldn't surprise me they pulled out those riders just to make sure they are good to support him in the Tour or Vuelta. Especially after that GdS article.

Apparently the test wasn't don't by SQS themselves but a laboratory in Modena. Not sure if it was by their request and if they still could've lied about those results. But I doubt it. I think they actually have corona, and decided to pull them from the race.

 

[Nick2413]

I'm 100% convinced Evenepoel was sick and has covid. He looked sick and his performance wasn't there. However, it wouldn't surprise me they pulled out those riders just to make sure they are good to support him in the Tour or Vuelta. Especially after that GdS article. In that case it would make sense to leave Van Wilder if he isn't sick, as a testcase. Like someone pointed out, he's down in GC, there are no expectations, no pressure. He has no support team so he just has to tag along and see where it takes him. On the other hand, he has yet to show his best form this Giro. Van Wilder so far has stayed below what i expect of him so far. Fo course, maybe he also suffered from covid (or something else) but a lot less. Who knows.

The team really has no ambitions whatsoever for the rest of the tour so any reason to leave is a good one, even if it’s not to concoct some plan to prepare for Tour

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I'm 100% convinced Evenepoel was sick and has covid. He looked sick and his performance wasn't there. However, it wouldn't surprise me they pulled out those riders just to make sure they are good to support him in the Tour or Vuelta. Especially after that GdS article. In that case it would make sense to leave Van Wilder if he isn't sick, as a testcase. Like someone pointed out, he's down in GC, there are no expectations, no pressure. He has no support team so he just has to tag along and see where it takes him. On the other hand, he has yet to show his best form this Giro. Van Wilder so far has stayed below what i expect of him so far. Fo course, maybe he also suffered from covid (or something else) but a lot less. Who knows.

Yes, pull healthy Jan Hirt and mattia cattanoe from the Giro in May after 10 stages so they will be recovered to pull for remco in la vuelta in September. Makes total sense. Its famously impossible to ride full Giro and vuelta in same season.

Total delusion again.


Looking forward to the top 5 on gc from the great Belgian talent and quickstep grand tour leader ilan van Welder.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Hope he's gonna give the organisers a partial refund of the appearance fee.

Sorry my fault, I should have wrote "this is a joke" at the end of my sentence. Apologies.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hope he's gonna give the organisers a partial refund of the appearance fee.

Why would you hope that? Are you the organiser? It's not like he has been softpedalling at the back of the peloton. He was in the pink jersey, won 2 stages and was the main reason why people were watching the Giro. Do other riders do the same when they crash out? Serious question.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

was the main reason why people were watching the Giro.

This is true, I wasn't going to watch il Giro this year but when I saw young remco on the startlist I thought I couldn't miss out . I'm sure all the people here in forum are the same

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This is true, I wasn't going to watch il Giro this year but when I saw young remco on the startlist I thought I couldn't miss out . I'm sure all the people here in forum are the same

You mean all of the 167 and a half people on the forum every day? Yeah, i'm sure the sponsors are rubbing their hands together because cycling nuts on a cycling forum were going to watch the race regardless. Good point.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

This is true, I wasn't going to watch il Giro this year but when I saw young remco on the startlist I thought I couldn't miss out . I'm sure all the people here in forum are the same

I watch the Giro regardless who is riding. It isn't because Remco "was" riding it.

 

[frisenfruitig]

I have to admit my interest has plummeted now Evenepoel isn't contending anymore. Now Hart is out as well apparently. Let's hope at least Roglic and Thomas can stay until the end so we can still have somewhat of an exciting battle for GC.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I watch the Giro regardless who is riding. It isn't because Remco "was" riding it.

And do you think you and the rest of us that are on this forum are the norm? You think the more casual viewer doesn't care about big names? The proposal was ridiculous, because TV stations have all paid for broadcasting rights before the race. Maybe the organisers should be paying back the TV stations, then.

Sorry my fault, I should have wrote "this is a joke" at the end of my sentence. Apologies.

Maybe that would have helped. I've read worse takes that weren't jokes in here.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I don't even know why they broadcast today stage. Since remco is not there, who cares? Nobody knows roglic or Cavendish

 

[Mayomaniac]

Why would you hope that? Are you the organiser? It's not like he has been softpedalling at the back of the peloton. He was in the pink jersey, won 2 stages and was the main reason why people were watching the Giro. Do other riders do the same when they crash out? Serious question.

Maybe in Belgium...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe in Belgium...

Sure, only "maybe" in Belgium. A bit like a headliner at a music festival who would "maybe" for "some people" be the reason why to attend. This is also the reason why there are only rumors of organisers to pay Evenepoel a huge starting fee. Because the Giro organisation loves Belgians. So thoughtful.

 

[RedheadDane]

You mean all of the 167 and a half people on the forum every day?

I think we might be more people than that... and I don't any of us are half.

 

[Andre]

I also admit to having lost a lot of interest since Remco left. I still tune in for the races but I'm a bit detached. I think I like this forum better; it's interesting to read people's thoughts. I've learned a lot through the years from the more knowledgeable posters.

 

[Riek s]

I think we might be more people than that... and I don't any of us are half.

Its based on a dutch expression:

"anderhalve man en een paardenkop" which implies only a few people.

translated litterally: "one and a half man and a horse head".

 

[Andre]

A few more crashes and corona and Van Wilder might win this Giro