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

[Big Doopie]

Do you think Remco will be able to hang in with the best climbers in this Vuelta???

Peak Remco, perhaps.

We will see.

But San Sebastian and Worlds first - let's not get ahead of our skis...

 

[Berniece]

Did you watch last year's race and take a look at this year's route?

What stage last year gives you the impression that he’ll have difficulties this year? Steep climbs weren’t an issue, long climbs weren’t an issue, high altitude wasn’t an issue…

 

[Netserk]

What stage last year gives you the impression that he’ll have difficulties this year? Steep climbs weren’t an issue, long climbs weren’t an issue, high altitude wasn’t an issue…

If getting dropped is not an issue, sure.

 

[Berniece]

If getting dropped is not an issue, sure.

Sure after a fall… once he was recovered he won a stage again

 

[Ulle97]

Sure after a fall… once he was recovered he won a stage again

The Tour de Suisse gives me concern..... he couldn't stay with the mighty Felix Gall and Skjelmose who subsequently is faltering at the TDF.

Granted, he just is returning from Covid.
I hope we see him at his best in August.

 

[Berniece]

The Tour de Suisse gives me concern..... he couldn't stay with the mighty Felix Gall and Skjelmose who subsequently is faltering at the TDF.

Granted, he just is returning from Covid.
I hope we see him at his best in August.

Like you said he returned from COVID, I’m not worrying

 

[Big Doopie]

Granted, he just is returning from Covid.

why is this an afterthought?

we need only consider peak remco.

anything less, of course, he will not compete for the win in the high mountains.

it's like saying: "I'm worried about Pog, the way he got dropped in San Sebastian last year." Pause. "Granted he was just coming off an exhausting TDF."

remco's potential to be competitive should only be measured against his peak performances. anything less, and - yes - there is no doubt that he will struggle.

 

[Panda Claws]

I'm just happy he rides the Vuelta anyway. Hope he could extend a decent peak to Lombardia somehow though. He should have a good shot at that race.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Do you think Remco will be able to hang in with the best climbers in this Vuelta???

I hope he can but I think some of the stages are too tough........ there seems to be an insane amount of uphill/mountain finishes.

The fact that Teddy and Skeletor asked Remco to skip the Tour means he doesn't have to prove himself in the mountains anymore.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Do you think Remco will be able to hang in with the best climbers in this Vuelta???

I hope he can but I think some of the stages are too tough........ there seems to be an insane amount of uphill/mountain finishes.

Depends on the best climbers- Roglic, Thomas, Mas, Carapaz, Almeida. In peak form should be doable with the advantage in the TT.

 

[DNP-Old]

It came out today in French press that Bernaudeau is interested in signing Alaphilippe this year and that the interest is mutual. However, Bernaudeau also has no intention of buying out his contract which makes it a tough situation, but it's not completely ruled out. Secondly, also published today, it is said that QuickStep lost out on each and every single rider they targeted to strengthen the Remco core. Matteo Jorgenson is going to Jumbo, Carlos Verona is going to INEOS, Pavel Sivakov is going to UAE and the last piece to fall today is Laurens De Plus, who is going to extend his contract. They are now looking at Geoffrey Bouchard.

The latter is bogus and mind boggling to me. For '23 Lefevere decided not to do much, which I think was a brilliant decision. You can only get what the market offers. It is better to keep your cash and wait a year to go for the big guns, than to do something purely for the purpose of doing something. It's a mistake teams often make, like Trek getting a big bag of money and deciding to spend it on Sam Oomen, that is ridiculous. A year later, however, having missed out on all four targets, he looks like he is about to make the mistake he avoided a year earlier, for Bouchard is nothing special and never will be. Desperation? Who knows. Lefevere says he has two cards up his sleeve and is in talks with two riders who are in the top 10/top 15 range in this very Tour, but I can't figure out who it would be. The only ones to run out of contract are Carlos Rodriguez, who signed a contract with Movistar yesterday, Louis Meintjes, who is likely staying with Intermarche, and Mikel Landa.

In regards to other contracts yet to be announced QuickStep has had a deal with William Junior Lecerf for quite some time and which will be activated per 2024. Lecerf's profile does fit the mould, but he is way too young to be a reliable piece for at least a few years. They will also bring in Ayco Bastiaens, who is a Tim Declerq replacement who is likely leaving. French press say there is a deal with Antoine Huby, also not the climber Remco needs. Luke Lamperti has signed, sprinter. Bert Van Lerberghe, Mattia Cattaneo and James Knox will extend, on top of an earlier agreement with Ilan Van Wilder. The other Italians will leave.

tl;dr: Lefevere disaster class.

Lefevere aast op Mikel Landa als versterking voor klimploeg rond Evenepoel

Patrick Lefevere heeft gesprekken gevoerd met het management van Mikel Landa. De 33-jarige Bask is einde contract bij Bahran-Victorious en zou bij Soudal Quick-Step een welgekomen versterking zijn voor de klimploeg rond Remco Evenepoel.

www.hln.be

So Landa is the one. Who, in not so surprising news, might be too expensive.

 

[Venge 82]

Lefevere aast op Mikel Landa als versterking voor klimploeg rond Evenepoel

Patrick Lefevere heeft gesprekken gevoerd met het management van Mikel Landa. De 33-jarige Bask is einde contract bij Bahran-Victorious en zou bij Soudal Quick-Step een welgekomen versterking zijn voor de klimploeg rond Remco Evenepoel.

www.hln.be

So Landa is the one. Who, in not so surprising news, might be too expensive.

Besides being possibly too expensive, he's clearly on his way back. I also doubt he is a real domestique.

 

[joseph89]

Tadej & Jonas's epic duel, the race for Remco, Ewan and Lotto fall out, & Arsène Wenger on his love of cycling - RadioCycling

As the Tour de France pauses in Saint-Gervais for its second rest day, these are RadioCycling's latest headlines...The Tour remains on a knife-edge, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard so close to each other that they might as well be riding a...

www.buzzsprout.com

Number of teams interested in signing remco, not just ineos.

 

[Trofonios]

Do you think Remco will be able to hang in with the best climbers in this Vuelta???

I hope he can but I think some of the stages are too tough........ there seems to be an insane amount of uphill/mountain finishes.

I think he will hang with Roglic. I think the real threat to Remco is Ayuso but that hinges on Ayuso progressing from last year, which I think is true but not completely certain of (His TT is at least much stronger).

 

[Peter von]

Tadej & Jonas's epic duel, the race for Remco, Ewan and Lotto fall out, & Arsène Wenger on his love of cycling - RadioCycling

As the Tour de France pauses in Saint-Gervais for its second rest day, these are RadioCycling's latest headlines...The Tour remains on a knife-edge, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard so close to each other that they might as well be riding a...

www.buzzsprout.com

Number of teams interested in signing remco, not just ineos.

yeah, I guess everyone should be in for Remco.

One of them might be UAE looking for a new co-leader for Pogi though.

 

[Trofonios]

One of them might be UAE looking for a new co-leader for Pogi though.

They believe in Ayuso.

 

[Peter von]

They believe in Ayuso.

I am sure they do, and they should and which is why in the end it Remco probably won't end up at UAE any time soon. But that doesn't mean they aren't keeping up with his situation, Pogi could retire tomorrow for all they know.

 

[Rob5091]

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...soudal-quick-step-in-search-of-better-support
"RadioCycling have approached a source near Evenepoel which has commented that “it will all come down to money… and his current contract underpays him. Patrick Lefevere needs to adapt his contract or risk conflict.”
The reports suggests that with bonuses included Evenepoel may earn up to €4 million a year, whilst Tadej Pogacar would win €7 million. It is believed he is not satisfied with this difference taking into consideration his worth, and within his camp there is a search for another team - with Soudal - Quick-Step struggling to provide a support block of the level of teams such as Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates."

See also on Twitter

 

[Rackham]

I'll take a guess & suggest money is a pretext to engineer a transfer because I don't get how Evenepoel could seriously act huffy because he doesn't earn what Pog earns. €4 million per year is still almost double what Roglič reportedly gets & in this pro cycling market it's good money IMO.

But Quick-Step as a team is obviously not as good in GT's as Ineos (for example), so of course if Evenepoel wants to win the Tour he can & should seek a transfer. That's totally fair.

 

[wickedw]

The UAE talk is nonsense I'm sure. You can't have pog and remco in the same team and keep them both happy. They both can and want to win almost everything. I'm already doubtful that they'll manage to balance this with Ayuso if he keeps developing. The vuelta won't be enough forever.

Ineos is the only one that makes sense, together with maybe Bora. Otherwise you could say that perhaps Bahrain would be able to pay the bill and spend enough money to field a gc team.

All in all its really ineos that would be the best fit for him and that can also afford it. They would really be able to be the third block against jumbo and uae if they had remco.

 

[Rob5091]

I suppose Ineos could turn Remco into the next Thomas but Bahrain could be an interesting move.

 

[johnymax]

I suppose Ineos could turn Remco into the next Thomas but Bahrain could be an interesting move.

Bahrain could turn him into the next Landa.

 

[Riek s]

I do like the idea of Ineos from a team strength perspective... But they are ex-sky, not a huge fan of it and I don't know how Carlos would take it though.. the guy is riding for podium in Tour. Doubt he will want to give his spot to Remco. (because lets be honest, the way Pog/ving are flying uphill and the major focus on climbs in GT and no TT, Remco is riding most like for third as well).
We also have Pidcock who wants to go for GT and is also a big ego. Both him and Remco also have the same focus of ardennes classics.

Don't think the current ineos can take in Remco without loosing some capable riders.

If we consider that Thomas is stopping, Hart? Sivakov already moving elsewhere..

 

[Tim Cahill]

I do like the idea of Ineos from a team strength perspective... But they are ex-sky, not a huge fan of it and I don't know how Carlos would take it though.. the guy is riding for podium in Tour. Doubt he will want to give his spot to Remco. (because lets be honest, the way Pog/ving are flying uphill and the major focus on climbs in GT and no TT, Remco is riding most like for third as well).
We also have Pidcock who wants to go for GT and is also a big ego. Both him and Remco also have the same focus of ardennes classics.

Don't think the current ineos can take in Remco without loosing some capable riders.

If we consider that Thomas is stopping, Hart? Sivakov already moving elsewhere..

Rodriguez, Hart, Sivakov, Martinez all strongly rumoured to be leaving, so Ineos are either going out of business, see one of their younger riders showing insane potential, have a big signing lined up or are just completely clueless.

Bahrain, Trek, Ineos, maybe Bora have good enough squads to suit his high ambitions, ISN would be hysterically funny for the reactions on here, co-leadership with Froomey!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Tadej & Jonas's epic duel, the race for Remco, Ewan and Lotto fall out, & Arsène Wenger on his love of cycling - RadioCycling

As the Tour de France pauses in Saint-Gervais for its second rest day, these are RadioCycling's latest headlines...The Tour remains on a knife-edge, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard so close to each other that they might as well be riding a...

www.buzzsprout.com

Number of teams interested in signing remco, not just ineos.

More than one team interested in the second best rider in the world. Who would have thought.

I honestly think he actually wants to stay with QuickStep if they'd just update his contract and give him the support he deserves. His current contract was signed years ago now, and doesn't represent his actual current value. So i think he is just pressuring the team to step it up and using other teams to get what he wants, more so than actually wanting to leave. But Lefevere will have to run back to Vic Swerts and plea on his bare knees. Soudal wanted a GT team, but so far their input hasn't been remotely enough to build a GT team. They'll need to show some serious commitment or take their nickel and dime shenanigans back to Lotto.