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

[Tonton]

Class act Remco. He's a survivor, and no doubt that what happened to Gino hit very close to home. He's the World Champion, he's alive, there could not have been a better way to pay homage to Gino than what Remco did today. Respect.

 

[Riek s]

This Tt confirmed his form. Lucky his next goal is still far out.
NC itt.. Wva also not looking to great. Maybe the year where an outsider has a shot.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This Tt confirmed his form. Lucky his next goal is still far out.
NC itt.. Wva also not looking to great. Maybe the year where an outsider has a shot.

Nah. Lampaert isn't riding and Van Wilder is too far off to really take advantage, i expect him on the podium though. I don't know if Segaert is riding the pro NC or the U23, but i expect him to be too far still.

 

[DNP-Old]

Nah. Lampaert isn't riding and Van Wilder is too far off to really take advantage, i expect him on the podium though. I don't know if Segaert is riding the pro NC or the U23, but i expect him to be too far still.

U23 championships were in May (where he wasn't present). If Segaert wishes to start, he can.

He is on the provisional list btw.

 

[peterfin]

With WVA not in top TT shape I think Remco is the clear favorite to win the NC TT.

 

[wickedw]

Too heavy and missing watts, not a good combo in a TT like this.

 

[DNP-Old]

Odds on Wout magically catching a cold on Thursday?

 

[Valv.Piti]

I wonder if a certain poster still thinks Remco is about 50% chance to win La Vuelta.

This will be a much different race. purely looking at the route - definitely less advantageous for Remco. Looks to me like we will have at least 3 great riders with great preparation fighting it out, and then you got the Mas, Almeida etc of the world + some Tour riders who crashed and what not.

 

[peterfin]

I wonder if a certain poster still thinks Remco is about 50% chance to win La Vuelta.

This will be a much different race. purely looking at the route - definitely less advantageous for Remco. Looks to me like we will have at least 3 great riders with great preparation fighting it out, and then you got the Mas, Almeida etc of the world + some Tour riders who crashed and what not.

He first needs to officially commit to it because now it's 0%. In his current shape it will still be close to 0%. He needs a similar preparation as last year. Even then 50% is a lot unless you have a "Sky train" at your service.

 

[peterfin]

Odds on Wout magically catching a cold on Thursday?

He didn't look sharp from the start. He was at the TdS to get some confidence but I think he got doubts instead. I am not sure we see the "Wout with wings" this TdF. With the baby coming up it might be a short TdF anyway.

 

[Gigs_98]

I really don't understand why people think this performance says anything about how he'll do at the Vuelta. He is performing below par in every discipline, regardless of whether it's TTing or climbing, so obviously the problem was that he wasn't in peak condition. But why should I worry about someone not getting peak results when he's not in peak condition? Hell, did better than in the TdS a year ago when he went on to win the Vuelta.

It will probably be harder to win the Vuelta with likely better competition than last year. But as far as he's concerned I think everything is going to plan.

 

[Extinction]

It's a real shame we didn't get to see a healthy Remco complete the Giro, to witness where his best level so far in the mountains would have taken him. Clearly the Remco of this TdS is not a potential Tour winner, but he has an excuse in the illness he had and thus inadequite prep thereafter for the race. At the same time, one wonders how far off his best level he was and what difference it would have made?

Unfortunately for him, whatever the case, guys like Vingeggard and Ayuso seem to have naturally better builds for climbing than Evenepoel, which helps efficiency in turning out big watts uphill. It's incredible how so many huge talents showed up all at once in this cycling generation. Remco will continue to do great things, however, conquering all the things he was prognosticated to do now looks much more complicated than it first appeared.

 

[Salvarani]

With perfect preparation and having the perfect race laid out for him, with everything going his way, the almighty shall rise again!

 

[Valv.Piti]

I really don't understand why people think this performance says anything about how he'll do at the Vuelta. He is performing below par in every discipline, regardless of whether it's TTing or climbing, so obviously the problem was that he wasn't in peak condition. But why should I worry about someone not getting peak results when he's not in peak condition? Hell, did better than in the TdS a year ago when he went on to win the Vuelta.

It will probably be harder to win the Vuelta with likely better competition than last year. But as far as he's concerned I think everything is going to plan.

Thats not what we are saying. We are looking at the route and the opposition, and we conclude that it definitely will be harder this year.

 

[Berniece]

I think he rode a great TDS all things considered. He was consistent in his performance all week. On to the nationals TT, and then training at altitude to get him ready for the WC. Not sure if he should ride the Vuelta. If you also want to win Lombardia. You can't take that form from WC -> Vuelta -> Lombardia.

 

[Gigs_98]

Thats not what we are saying. We are looking at the route and the opposition, and we conclude that it definitely will be harder this year.

I mean you clearly implied his chances to win changed significantly due to performances this week. If you weren't talking about Remco's performances do you really think Ayuso doing well this week changed the odds of who will win the Vuelta that much?

 

[Riek s]

Thats not what we are saying. We are looking at the route and the opposition, and we conclude that it definitely will be harder this year.

Mwaah. Lets not forget that the Vuelta ast year also had some dropouts due to covid. (Same with the last giro , don't think we can rule it out for the next Vuelta either).

Ayuso was fantasic on the queen stage and the TT. But before that he wasn't that great at all. (shipping enough time that Skjelmose didn't even bother to ride after him). (Not something one can permit in a GT with fully capable riders).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I wonder if a certain poster still thinks Remco is about 50% chance to win La Vuelta.

This will be a much different race. purely looking at the route - definitely less advantageous for Remco. Looks to me like we will have at least 3 great riders with great preparation fighting it out, and then you got the Mas, Almeida etc of the world + some Tour riders who crashed and what not.

Why? What suddenly changed?

 

[peterfin]

It's a real shame we didn't get to see a healthy Remco complete the Giro, to witness where his best level so far in the mountains would have taken him. Clearly the Remco of this TdS is not a potential Tour winner, but he has an excuse in the illness he had and thus inadequite prep thereafter for the race. At the same time, one wonders how far off his best level he was and what difference it would have made?

Unfortunately for him, whatever the case, guys like Vingeggard and Ayuso seem to have naturally better builds for climbing than Evenepoel, which helps efficiency in turning out big watts uphill. It's incredible how so many huge talents showed up all at once in this cycling generation. Remco will continue to do great things, however, conquering all the things he was prognosticated to do now looks much more complicated than it first appeared.

A few words in his defense: He succeeded in all his major since 2022 up to his giro exit. At the TdS he clearly was in a disadvantage due to his shape vs the other GC contenders. Nevertheless he didn't crack. If he learns to ride more economically when he is in a disadvantage he even has a shot at winning it. On top of that, if he has a good preparation and a team he can count on, he definitely can conquer any race he sets his mind on.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I mean you clearly implied his chances to win changed significantly due to performances this week. If you weren't talking about Remco's performances do you really think Ayuso doing well this week changed the odds of who will win the Vuelta that much?

To begin with, I didnt think Remco has 50%, and yes, after watching Ayuso and looking at the route again, I think those 50% are pretty laughable.

On this route, I'd pick Ayuso, and there are other riders as well.

 

[Red Rick]

They're all just lucky Skjelmose isn't racing the Vuelta

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

To begin with, I didnt think Remco has 50%, and yes, after watching Ayuso and looking at the route again, I think those 50% are pretty laughable.

On this route, I'd pick Ayuso, and there are other riders as well.

What exactly did Ayuso show this week that we didn't already know during the Vuelta '22?

 

[Gigs_98]

They're all just lucky Skjelmose isn't racing the Vuelta

Just like with Gall, who would make up the five minutes he would lose in the TT on the Tourmalet alone

 

[Extinction]

To begin with, I didnt think Remco has 50%, and yes, after watching Ayuso and looking at the route again, I think those 50% are pretty laughable.

On this route, I'd pick Ayuso, and there are other riders as well.

Ayuso impressed, but this confirms he's back on the expected trajectory, after his injury, that the last Vuelta promissed.

As far as he against Remco is concerned, Ayuso clearly came to this race with a much better buildup to it than Evenepoel.

How off this left Remco, would determine the actual state of forces between them. If it was considerable, then Remco's still ahead. But if it was neglegible than Ayuso will likely surpass Remco in future stage races/GTs.

 

[JosefK]

As an occasional (maybe not fully hardcore) Remco fan, I thought he looked decent at the TDS. He lost more than a week of practice from the Covid, which can weaken the whole system, even in younger athletes. The forecast looks optimistic: Remco is well (now), not injured, and is gaining form.