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

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May 10, 2023
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Yeah QS sure seems determined to destroy his career. Or are they already thinking about how many uci points they need to stay up in 3 years? Remco is the only one actually scoring them afterall. Without his points they rank below Israel - Premier Tech currenly.

Maybe they didn't get the memo that GTs gets more points from this year on.
 
It's exactly what it says between the lines.

He's talking about racing micky mouse races rather than the Vuelta, implying there's nothing to win at the Vuelta when there's a Grand Tour to win. In other words, the cost of losing is higher than the price of winning.
I would take it a step further. The implication is that they - the team - don't have a lot of faith in Evenepoel winning the 2023 Vuelta. And .... if he doesn't win, that it could affect his mental state. Two failed GT attempts in one year, while he could be racking up the wins in one-week stage races, big one-day races and TTs instead. The Worlds ITT is a major goal for him.

We - cycling fans - don't really know how a major loss affects him. They do. He's their star rider - his mental health is important to them.
 
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May 10, 2023
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I would take it a step further. The implication is that they - the team - don't have a lot of faith in Evenepoel winning the 2023 Vuelta. And .... if he doesn't win, that it could affect his mental state. Two failed GT attempts in one year, while he could be racking up the wins in one-week stage races, big one-day races and TTs instead. The Worlds ITT is a major goal for him.

We - cycling fans - don't really know how a major loss affects him. They do. He's their star rider - his mental health is important to them.
Considering he rides for a team whose big boss regularly disses his own riders publically. I highly doubt they care too much about his mental wellbeing. Plf mainly speaks the language of money, very little else (when he is comprehensible)

They need to develop him as a gc rider, the schedule they have put out so far doesn't contribute to that goal at all.
 
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Considering all that was said i do tend to believe Remco won't do another GT in 2023 season. Considering he is in good form and now Covid free. I feel that he should go to Dauphiné as co leader with Alaphilippe and race for GC. If even that is "problematic". Due to if not winning the pressure being too big. Then in my opinion this won't end well.
 
I would take Lefevere's statements with a big grain of salt.

Having said that, who knows what Remco himself really wants?

He just had a major disappointment after spending months preparing for the Giro without seeing his wife and family much (and he is a big family man).

I could imagine he's mentally fed up with riding a GT this season with all the preparation that comes with it and maybe just wants to focus on major one-day races this season which allows him to be home a lot more. After all, he's much more than just a GT rider, he's arguably (one of) the best one-day riders in the peloton. That way he can charge his batteries again for a GT hunt next season.

I think also because he's not a 'natural' climber he needs a specific preparation for a GT more than some other GT riders.

All in all I don't want to judge him or the team just yet and I wouldn't mind seeing him sweep up all important one day races this year.
 
I want Remco to be a GC rider and end all this speculation regarding his abilities. Otherwise it will be 2028 and we will still be reading about "what if" Remco would have ridden Tour and Vuelta 2023.

What I'm loving about this is people and hardcore belgian (?) fans who were still insisting that Almeida should have stayed in QST to develop as a GC rider :tearsofjoy: Countless post have I read dissing on Almeida's career options and how he was too eager to shift teams too soon.

In hindsight, Almeida was much more aware than Remco in going to UAE.
 
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Considering all that was said i do tend to believe Remco won't do another GT in 2023 season. Considering he is in good form and now Covid free. I feel that he should go to Dauphiné as co leader with Alaphilippe and race for GC. If even that is "problematic". Due to if not winning the pressure being too big. Then in my opinion this won't end well.
He is still needs to get his heart and blood tested. If there is some indication their is something lingering they will keep him on inactive.

I think that is the main reason why PL is not touting anything yet.
I assume after those tests, and Remco gets free reign, he will look at what he can and won't do. Can't imagine Remco not wanting to try Vuelta again.
 
I would take it a step further. The implication is that they - the team - don't have a lot of faith in Evenepoel winning the 2023 Vuelta. And .... if he doesn't win, that it could affect his mental state. Two failed GT attempts in one year, while he could be racking up the wins in one-week stage races, big one-day races and TTs instead. The Worlds ITT is a major goal for him.

We - cycling fans - don't really know how a major loss affects him. They do. He's their star rider - his mental health is important to them.
I can't believe his mental state has anything to do with it, not after what he has demonstrated sofar. He has shown unbelievable resilience in the face of adversity (crash) and Many would crumble under the pressure the media puts on them
You are overestimating the average fan.
Should he care about the average fan?