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

[nightowl]

You don't really know if remco is even a better TT than them in a grand tour, specially in the last week.

That’s more to do with the can he be at his best level for 3 weeks question than to do with his TT ability though.

 

[Big Doopie]

Would love to see him at bora

an interesting proposition. they have a bunch of potential high-end helpers and they ride specialized.

 

[Andy schleck]

That’s more to do with the can he be at his best level for 3 weeks question than to do with his TT ability though.

It's not in question the ability of remco in the TTs, but the other two, are two different animals even in TTs, during grand tours.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yeah, you win. I should have known better than to even engage. Later.

 

[ManicJack]

17,000 posts only makes you prolific.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

17,000 posts only makes you prolific.

Agh, right in the heart. That's ok buddy. I don't have 17k posts. There was an error with the transition in 2019 from the old forum to the new forum, and the old post count got multiplied.

 

[Andy schleck]

17,000 posts only makes you prolific.

If remco puts @Logic-is-your-friend as his lawyer against quick step, i bet that he can make remco revoke his contract with quick step without costs, just to put remco in ineos.

 

[Extinction]

And if Vingeggard wins this Tour, is Pog getting paid too much? Ineos can do what they want with their cash. They envision in Evenepoel a rider who can win the Tour. Unfortunately the Giro plan ended disastrously (again), but this time it was two crashes and illness to blame. Not much you can do about that. Five months of prep ruined and a whole season to reinvent. It will not be easy to bounce back at the Vuelta. He will truly need to have an iron will and incredible climbing form to win it or even podium. If he does podium then his prospects are still great. If Vingeggard and Pogacar keep up their current level for years to come, however, it's going to be difficult for Remco at the Tour, no matter on what team. The Tour should bring back a long, 50 + km TT, if it wants to see anybody who can potentially challenge those two for yellow, or else find someone who can put out 7+ watts per kgm in the mountains. But maybe they don't want that comedic effect.

 

[yaco]

You are not only employing employing Remco for his GC capabilities, but also for his ability to win classics and monuments.

 

[Extinction]

You are not only employing employing Remco for his GC capabilities, but also for his ability to win classics and monuments.

Of course, but the Tour is the Tour. In the larger scheme that's what generates sponsorship revenues and that's what any such deal with an Ineos would be about.

 

[IndianCyclist]

The 2 best mountrain domestiques right now are Kuss and Yates. De Plus, Vine and Arensman can maybe come close. Except for Kuss, the others aren't reliable for every GT, every year. Who else can be the super Domestique that Remco needs?

 

[Berniece]

The 2 best mountrain domestiques right now are Kuss and Yates. De Plus, Vine and Arensman can maybe come close. Except for Kuss, the others aren't reliable for every GT, every year. Who else can be the super Domestique that Remco needs?

Landa apparently

 

[Peter von]

Landa apparently

I mean the fella can climb, and maybe if he get's a few leadership roles here and there he'll be happy enough pulling for Remco.

Maybe it'll be the classic Giro leader and Tour domestique schedule for Landa?

Maybe they are signing so many climbers that they need someone to lead Giro+Vuelta?

I am not sure Landa is a great domestique, he wasted his best years at Astana and SKY being a dom and IMO not being as good at it, as his overall ability would otherwise suggest. Then again he is 33 now and have had his chances of GT success and is now perhaps more ready to work for a team and pad his bank account.

 

[Berniece]

I mean the fella can climb, and maybe if he get's a few leadership roles here and there he'll be happy enough pulling for Remco.

Maybe it'll be the classic Giro leader and Tour domestique schedule for Landa?

Maybe they are signing so many climbers that they need someone to lead Giro+Vuelta?

I am not sure Landa is a great domestique, he wasted his best years at Astana and SKY being a dom and IMO not being as good at it, as his overall ability would otherwise suggest. Then again he is 33 now and have had his chances of GT success and is now perhaps more ready to work for a team and pad his bank account.

Yeah no clue where his mind is at to being a dom for Remco. He was always fairly ambitious and this would close the door on that. Although I would think he's realistic enough to understand he'll never win a GT

 

[Salvarani]

I mean the fella can climb, and maybe if he get's a few leadership roles here and there he'll be happy enough pulling for Remco.

Maybe it'll be the classic Giro leader and Tour domestique schedule for Landa?

Maybe they are signing so many climbers that they need someone to lead Giro+Vuelta?

I am not sure Landa is a great domestique, he wasted his best years at Astana and SKY being a dom and IMO not being as good at it, as his overall ability would otherwise suggest. Then again he is 33 now and have had his chances of GT success and is now perhaps more ready to work for a team and pad his bank account.

The best Landa has ever looked when he was a "dom" at Astana and Sky.

Landa will be 34 in December. He could probably be paid more as a super-dom for Remco, than as a leader somewhere else.

At the same time, Sastre was 33 when he won the Tour and finished 3rd in the Vuelta. A rider who "just" had 9 wins in his career.

Landa has 16 wins and probably had his best spring ever, in his career, this season. He finished 3rd in Lombardia last season, as well. He is still very good! Maybe too good to settle in as a super-dom. Unfortunately, he doesnt seem to be in the best form in Dauphine or here in the Tour.

He is just not as all-round as a rider and that is what lets him down in the GTs. He loses too much time in first and second week, weak in the ITTs, but is often one of the strongest in the third week. Thats why he would probably be perfect as a super-dom, was perfect in that role earlier in his career, just focusing on the big climbs and mountain-stages. Similar to Sepp Kuss in that regard. He is just so good of a climber that he looks even better than his leader doing that and I guess thats where the "free Landa" came about a long time ago.

 

[witeken]

You don't really know if remco is even a better TT than them in a grand tour, specially in the last week.

People keep arguing about this, while this shouldn't even be a discussion in the first place: a rider with as much talent as Evenepoel (which surely no one denies) should have been sent to the Tour years ago already (how old was Pog when he first came to the Tour?). Put Evenepoel against Pogacar and Vingegaard and let the results speak for themselves. ez

 

[Andy schleck]

People keep arguing about this, while this shouldn't even be a discussion in the first place: a rider with as much talent as Evenepoel (which surely no one denies) should have been sent to the Tour years ago already (how old was Pog when he first came to the Tour?). Put Evenepoel against Pogacar and Vingegaard and let the results speak for themselves. ez

Exactly. He is losing years of his career by not going to the tour.

 

[Gargamel35]

And if Vingeggard wins this Tour, is Pog getting paid too much? Ineos can do what they want with their cash. They envision in Evenepoel a rider who can win the Tour. Unfortunately the Giro plan ended disastrously (again), but this time it was two crashes and illness to blame. Not much you can do about that. Five months of prep ruined and a whole season to reinvent. It will not be easy to bounce back at the Vuelta. He will truly need to have an iron will and incredible climbing form to win it or even podium. If he does podium then his prospects are still great. If Vingeggard and Pogacar keep up their current level for years to come, however, it's going to be difficult for Remco at the Tour, no matter on what team. The Tour should bring back a long, 50 + km TT, if it wants to see anybody who can potentially challenge those two for yellow, or else find someone who can put out 7+ watts per kgm in the mountains. But maybe they don't want that comedic effect.

What? There are countless riders that had disastrous (a lot more disastrous then a cold and a little crash) Giro or Tour and came back the same year winning/podium Vuelta. They had to change their plans sure and adjust training, but what else are they going to do, go home and cry? I don't understand why would that be sooo haaaard for Remco? What is this narrative with this guy needing so much will power to adjust plans, train and come to a race ready for podium?

 

[Peter von]

The best Landa has ever looked when he was a "dom" at Astana and Sky.

Landa will be 34 in December. He could probably be paid more as a super-dom for Remco, than as a leader somewhere else.

At the same time, Sastre was 33 when he won the Tour and finished 3rd in the Vuelta. A rider who "just" had 9 wins in his career.

Landa has 16 wins and probably had his best spring ever, in his career, this season. He finished 3rd in Lombardia last season, as well. He is still very good! Maybe too good to settle in as a super-dom. Unfortunately, he doesnt seem to be in the best form in Dauphine or here in the Tour.

He is just not as all-round as a rider and that is what lets him down in the GTs. He loses too much time in first and second week, weak in the ITTs, but is often one of the strongest in the third week. Thats why he would probably be perfect as a super-dom, was perfect in that role earlier in his career, just focusing on the big climbs and mountain-stages. Similar to Sepp Kuss in that regard. He is just so good of a climber that he looks even better than his leader doing that and I guess thats where the "free Landa" came about a long time ago.

Maybe I am reading him wrong, but seemed to me he peaked early at Astana, but then was doing work for Aru, which wasn't fun at all, then went to INEOS and never really delivered on his promises.

But yes, Landa on paper would be a super dom if he is allowed to stay at the back and relax on the flat stages and maybe take some days off where he looses 10 mins no worries. also an experienced rider and at the end of the day Quick-Step is looking for a certain volume of climbers as well.

 

[Gargamel35]

I think Ineos will be ready to throw a lot of money to Remco. They need their nr. 1 guy that actually has a chance against UAE and Jumbo. They don't have it now and Bernal doesn't look like he can become that any time soon if ever.

I would throw out another option. Jumbo Visma. They have Vinge for sure, but he's more or less a one game/year horse. Roglič won't be there forever and years are catching up to him. They will need their second star to cover the appetites they have now. Vinge + Remco for GTs and Wout + Remco for 1 day races would be insane.

 

[Salvarani]

Maybe I am reading him wrong, but seemed to me he peaked early at Astana, but then was doing work for Aru, which wasn't fun at all, then went to INEOS and never really delivered on his promises.

But yes, Landa on paper would be a super dom if he is allowed to stay at the back and relax on the flat stages and maybe take some days off where he looses 10 mins no worries. also an experienced rider and at the end of the day Quick-Step is looking for a certain volume of climbers as well.

Landa fell into the domestic role at Sky too.

2017 is probably the best year of his career. He rode the Giro with Thomas, where both crashed I think. Lost a lot of time. Thomas had to leave the race. Landa came into great form in the third week. Won one stage, where he probably should have won at least three if he could take the final turn right but was beaten in the sprint. Won the KOM, as well.

Then finished 4th in the Tour riding for Froome and then won Vuelta Burgos.

Signed with Movistar after that, where he was okay/good. Just typical Landa, not winning much but having great performances here and there.

 

[Peter von]

Landa fell into the domestic role at Sky too.

2017 is probably the best year of his career. He rode the Giro with Thomas, where both crashed I think. Lost a lot of time. Thomas had to leave the race. Landa came into great form in the third week. Won one stage, where he probably should have won at least three if he could take the final turn right but was beaten in the sprint. Won the KOM, as well.

Then finished 4th in the Tour riding for Froome and then won Vuelta Burgos.

Signed with Movistar after that, where he was okay/good. Just typical Landa, not winning much but having great performances here and there.

finishing 4th isn't neccesarily good for a dom, but yeah maybe he was just strong. Maybe I just have a weird idea about Landa and working for others.

 

[Salvarani]

finishing 4th isn't neccesarily good for a dom, but yeah maybe he was just strong. Maybe I just have a weird idea about Landa and working for others.

4th is not good for a dom? Give me a break. He was one second from finishing 3rd.

 

[Peter von]

4th is not good for a dom? Give me a break. He was one second from finishing 3rd.

As a dom your job is to be there for the team, not your own GC aspirations. 4th in the tour is a great result dom or not, getting 4th though could indicate you pulled your punches when leading the pack.

 

[Salvarani]

As a dom your job is to be there for the team, not your own GC aspirations. 4th in the tour is a great result dom or not, getting 4th though could indicate you pulled your punches when leading the pack.

Oh my god...

Did you watch that race?

Landa was there on every mountain stage pulling for Froome. He was the last man for Froome that edition. Dropping most of the other GC-contenders and finishing within in the top 10 on almost every hard stage. Thats how he finished so high up on GC himself. He was one of the strongest riders in the race... while finishing 102th in first ITT.