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

[Logic-is-your-friend]

As I stated their situations are not identical, but I still think if Ciccone can go on to ride a solid Tour, so could Remco. And I'm not putting any GC expectations on him, but feasably he might surprise in doing well. The learning curve, in any case, would be useful going forward. Van Aert, moreover, is doing the Tour and hoping the form holds until Glassgow. I realize Wout will approach this Tour with the Worlds in mind, but still.

I understand the reasoning, but to me it makes no sense because there is little to be gained and lots to be lost. In Dutch we'd say "het sop is de kool niet waard".

 

[Extinction]

ouch. never ends.

they are not identical at all. as @Logic-is-your-friend clearly points out.

i have no idea why you want him to sacrifice the rest of the season (and some potential big-time wins) in order to somehow "gain some experience".

just makes no sense, unless it is the ultimate 3D chess move by an "enthusiast" (AKA hater) who literally wants to see him fail the rest of the season.

also, there is no huge and vital experience gained at the TDF unless he was at the pointy end of things. Better for him (and his team) to gain more experience fighting for wins in other top races - that is much better "experience" than being manhandled at a TDF which you have not prepped fully.

I totally disagree. For one thing, it's the Pogs and Vingos he has to measure himself against, like it or not, on the biggest stage of the sport, upon which seasons going forward shall ultimately be judged. And for another, the Tour is like no other race, where just being there gives a valuable lesson on its immensity, the overbearing pressure and so the grand task it takes to win it. It would thus not be a "wasted rest of the season" at all, but wise investment in his future.

 

[Extinction]

I understand the reasoning, but to me it makes no sense because there is little to be gained and lots to be lost. In Dutch we'd say "het sop is de kool niet waard".

Thanks for the Dutch idiom. But naturally in this case, I disagree.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Very correct. Remco finishes 2nd after a covid infection and we have everyone and their mother analyse every pedal stroke, every breath, every blink. Wout finishes 3rd whilst in build up to his big goal of the year and he gets 1 ½ responses.

It's because wva is not a big star like remco. We also dont heavily analysed the time trial of mohoric or fuslgang

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

ouch. never ends.

they are not identical at all. as @Logic-is-your-friend clearly points out.

i have no idea why you want him to sacrifice the rest of the season (and some potential big-time wins) in order to somehow "gain some experience".

just makes no sense, unless it is the ultimate 3D chess move by an "enthusiast" (AKA hater) who literally wants to see him fail the rest of the season.

also, there is no huge and vital experience gained at the TDF unless he was at the pointy end of things. Better for him (and his team) to gain more experience fighting for wins in other top races - that is much better "experience" than being manhandled at a TDF which you have not prepped fully.

The division among Remco fans is interesting. My understanding is that a major reason Extinction likes Remco is his panache, and going to the Tour would demonstrate panache. Plus it seems like he is prioritizing a Tour victory vs overall palmares. Obviously he is not an “enthusiast.”

 

[DNP-Old]

It's because wva is not a big star like remco. We also dont heavily analysed the time trial of mohoric or fuslgang

This schtick is so boring.

 

[Bonimenier]

This schtick is so boring.

So is van Aert.

 

[tobydawq]

I understand the reasoning, but to me it makes no sense because there is little to be gained and lots to be lost. In Dutch we'd say "het sop is de kool niet waard".

Winning a Tour is not "little to be gained".

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Winning a Tour is not "little to be gained".

Obviously, but under these conditions i do not see that as a likely scenario. While winning the WCC TT and Vuelta are (if he doesn't go to the Tour).

 

[Big Doopie]

The division among Remco fans is interesting. My understanding is that a major reason Extinction likes Remco is his panache, and going to the Tour would demonstrate panache. Plus it seems like he is prioritizing a Tour victory vs overall palmares. Obviously he is not an “enthusiast.”

hmm.

i actually think it is me who is advocating for panache.

pray tell me which wins had more panache: San Sebastians/LBLs/Worlds or...Vuelta?

it's not even close.

besides, hard to show "panache" when you are not in your top form at the TDF. you don't just show "panache" because you are present...

what an absolute waste of a year if he went to the TDF now.

 

[SHAD0W93]

The division among Remco fans is interesting. My understanding is that a major reason Extinction likes Remco is his panache, and going to the Tour would demonstrate panache. Plus it seems like he is prioritizing a Tour victory vs overall palmares. Obviously he is not an “enthusiast.”

@Extinction wants Evenepoel to go because they rate the Tour so highly above the other races as they stated their opinions on in @Pantani Attacks thread of ranking the top 250 or something cyclists.

 

[Big Doopie]

Winning a Tour is not "little to be gained".

but he wouldn't.

please name me a recent winner who did not specifically prep for the TDF (with properly timed altitude camps and race days)...?

Vingo?
Pog?
Bernal?
Thomas?
Froome?
Nibali?
Wiggins?
Evans?

Not one. Not a single one targeted the Giro the year they won.

I will go even further. Even if Remco does not win a single race the rest of the season, it is better for him to be competing for wins at many top races than doing a rushed, silly tilt at the TDF. thankfully, that is unlikely to happen on either level.

 

[DNP-Old]

but he wouldn't.

please name me a recent winner who did not specifically prep for the TDF (with properly timed altitude camps and race days)...?

Vingo?
Pog?
Bernal?
Thomas?
Froome?
Nibali?
Wiggins?
Evans?

Not one. Not a single one targeted the Giro the year they won.

I will go even further. Even if Remco does not win a single race the rest of the season, it is better for him to be competing for wins at many top races than doing a rushed, silly tilt at the TDF. thankfully, that is unlikely to happen on either level.

Bernal did.

 

[Big Doopie]

Bernal did.

bernal went to the giro in 2019...?

he may have initially targeted it, but never competed and he prepped fully for the TDF once giro was off the table.

my point stands.

nothing to be gained by competing ill-prepared.

and what will he gain by supposedly going up against vingo and pog, if he is not in the shape to actually ride with them. lol. great experience building watching them on the TV highlights in the hotel each night. but he can do that just as well while completing an altitude training camp and building for a myriad of goals over the rest of the season...

 

[DNP-Old]

bernal went to the giro in 2019...?

Yes, Egan was supposed to ride the Giro in 2019, but broke his collarbone in early May.

 

[DNP-Old]

he may have initially targeted it, but never competed and he prepped fully for the TDF once giro was off the table.

That wasn't your question. You asked to ''please name me a recent winner who did not specifically prep for the TDF''. Well, here's your answer. Egan did not fully or specifically prep for a Tour participation.

 

[tobydawq]

but he wouldn't.

please name me a recent winner who did not specifically prep for the TDF (with properly timed altitude camps and race days)...?

Vingo?
Pog?
Bernal?
Thomas?
Froome?
Nibali?
Wiggins?
Evans?

Not one. Not a single one targeted the Giro the year they won.

I will go even further. Even if Remco does not win a single race the rest of the season, it is better for him to be competing for wins at many top races than doing a rushed, silly tilt at the TDF. thankfully, that is unlikely to happen on either level.

I do think that he probably cannot beat Pogacar and Vingegaard, so I guess there is a reason for the decision.

But imagine they were out of the equation, then I definitely think he could come of the beach like Contador in 2008 and win.

 

[Big Doopie]

Yes, Egan was supposed to ride the Giro in 2019, but broke his collarbone in early May.

lol. semantics. and you know it.

he never competed in the giro. and he had time to fully and specifically prep the TDF and did not have too many race days. which is exactly what I was noting.

and you knew that full well.

trolls abound!

 

[Big Doopie]

I do think that he probably cannot beat Pogacar and Vingegaard, so I guess there is a reason for the decision.

But imagine they were out of the equation, then I definitely think he could come of the beach like Contador in 2008 and win.

OMG! Contador in 2008!?

I will have to recuse myself, otherwise I will be banned agained.

You know how to trigger me, dear @tobydawq

 

[Extinction]

@Extinction wants Evenepoel to go because they rate the Tour so highly above the other races as they stated their opinions on in @Pantani Attacks thread of ranking the top 250 or something cyclists.

Nope, the Tour is simply the biggest event. I rate the Giro above, however, not in prestige of course. And a rider of his calibre inevitably will have to try and win the Tour. And so I think it's time he gets an experience of it.

 

[DNP-Old]

lol. semantics. and you know it.

he never competed in the giro. and he had time to fully prep the TDF and did not have too many race days.

and you know full well what i meant.

trolls abound!

I hereby accept your apology and I would like to praise you for admitting your mistake. It's okay, nobody is correct 100% of the time.

 

[Berniece]

I don’t understand why we are still discussion Remco at the tour or not. It’s not happening, we’ve discussed every scenario

 

[Big Doopie]

I hereby accept your apology and I would like to praise you for admitting your mistake. It's okay, nobody is correct 100% of the time.

well-played. well-played.

and thank you for pointing out that I am almost 100% correct all the time. I'll take that.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Remco should have skipped le Suisse and gone to a training camp to get top shape for le tour. But if he didn't do that he can still have a great season.

 

[Big Doopie]

Remco should have skipped le Suisse and gone to a training camp to get top shape for le tour. But if he didn't do that he can still have a great season.

i actually think that he should have done dauphine before he was fully recovered from Covid, then TdS (that last stage of Dauphine finished early, he could have made it!). then national champs, the TDF, Worlds, San Sebastian, Vuelta, Lombardia. no idea why he didn't follow that program. he would likely win them all. and if he didn't, what a fabulous experience he would gain by showing off the rainbow stripes while performing wheelies in the groupetto!