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

[Volderke]

50/50 that burgos sends a better team at this point.

Can you back up your statement that soudal is bad, with some examples? AFAIK, they were pretty OK last year when Remco won the Vuelta. Not a team like the Jumbo / UAE Tour de France selections, but those are twice the budget of Soudal.

 

[Berniece]

I agree with the sentiment, but Evenepoel didn't get dropped by Vine. Vine went earlier, and Evenepoel couldn't catch him. Vine is like Kuss, on a certain day he can climb with the best and drop them. Even though he crashed in the Giro, he showed that there as well in the last week.

Couldn't you just race time from bottom to top for both? Not even sure where to find such a thing, but that would tell you who was fastest.

 

[Riek s]

Can you back up your statement that soudal is bad, with some examples? AFAIK, they were pretty OK last year when Remco won the Vuelta. Not a team like the Jumbo / UAE Tour de France selections, but those are twice the budget of Soudal.

I think its a bit broader: its not a team like Jumbo/UAE in the Giro/Vuelta either.
Yes you can say they have a lower budget, which is very true. But since Remco goes for the win, its against those teams that we compare.

I dunno if the team is already known, but Van wilder their strongest pion last year won't be there. I don't think they have anybody who can replace him, which means on a multi mountain stage.. he will be alone if other pace the climbs. (Unless Masnada finds his form again)

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Remco will need to trim down for the Vuelta surely. It's not just the route but also Vinge, who will change the race into a featherweight fight. If you don't fit into the category you are exterminated by Skeletor & Captain Gravity. No donuts, no hot dogs, just a labor camper diet in the coming weeks.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

What comes after though? 50/50 that burgos sends a better team at this point.

Nice exaggeration.
If you're serious it's a worse take than Taxus ideas of what Froome could do in the Tour.

 

[wickedw]

I'm obviously not serious that Burgos actually would send a better team. Exaggeration for effect and all that. My bad for attempting something like that in text.

My point is that several teams have a stronger team in this year's vuelta than last year's. While QS quite possibly sends a weaker one if van wilder will not go.

 

[houtdffan]

they need to win the Vuelta in different ways. Stealing bonus seconds on flat finishes.

If the sprint field is weak, why not bring Merlier to lead out Remco. Try and steal a few high placing finishes at the line (or at the very least, make Vingegaard waste energy sprinting)

 

[QueenStagiaire]

they need to win the Vuelta in different ways. Stealing bonus seconds on flat finishes.

If the sprint field is weak, why not bring Merlier to lead out Remco. Try and steal a few high placing finishes at the line (or at the very least, make Vingegaard waste energy sprinting)

Wow, Remco must really be the new Cipollini if that is his game plan.

 

[Red Rick]

Why would Van Wilder not go?

 

[DNP-Old]

Why would Van Wilder not go?

They do not want to burn him with 2 GTs in a year, so he gets his own schedule and will lead in Poland among others.

 

[houtdffan]

Wow, Remco must really be the new Cipollini if that is his game plan.

now now

It's more about stealing a few seconds, as he has done at intermediates. Maybe he could do that 2-3 times at the finish line as well

 

[Red Rick]

They do not want to burn him with 2 GTs in a year, so he gets his own schedule and will lead in Poland among others.

Ah makes sense. I forget he's only 23, even though I think the idea that 23 year olds can't do 2 GTs a year is a bit outdated, especially when we're talking about Giro/Vuelta.

But it does make sense to throw Van Wilder himself also a bone and let him lead some races.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Couldn't you just race time from bottom to top for both? Not even sure where to find such a thing, but that would tell you who was fastest.

In that case Vine obviously was faster as they started the climb together. But Vine had also taken it easy the previous days. Vine just went earlier on the climb and Evenepoel attacked a few minutes later when Vine already had a gap. The thing is he only gained one or two seconds to Vine for the rest of the climb. But you can't really say Vine dropped Evenepoel, as non of the GC guys was paying attention to Vine and he was clearly allowed to go.

I'm obviously not serious that Burgos actually would send a better team. Exaggeration for effect and all that. My bad for attempting something like that in text.

My point is that several teams have a stronger team in this year's vuelta than last year's. While QS quite possibly sends a weaker one if van wilder will not go.

Nah, Van Wilder was decent last year, but he was far from his best level. He had crashed a dozen times and got covid in '22 so he never got the build-up towards the Vuelta he needed, and i think he was a lot better in the 2 last weeks of the Giro than he was at any time in last year's Vuelta. Having Hirt replace Van Wilder (compared to last year) should not make for a weaker team, as Hirt should really get the level Van Wilder had at last year's Vuelta.

But with the Vuelta getting an all star/tlist, i think they will be tempted to ask Van Wilder again. But i think they'd need to give him a very nice program next year in return.

 

[Volderke]

No donuts, no hot dogs, just a labor camper diet in the coming weeks.

No Pizza?

 

[wickedw]

One could maybe argue that van wilder was able to go for himself in the Giro this year since remco dropped out. Not so sure if he will see it like that though.

Ideally you need to send alaphillipe, van wilder and hirt I reckon, just to not be isolated all the time.

I'll happily be proven wrong about the strength of the squad.

 

[Volderke]

One could maybe argue that van wilder was able to go for himself in the Giro this year since remco dropped out. Not so sure if he will see it like that though.

Ideally you need to send alaphillipe, van wilder and hirt I reckon, just to not be isolated all the time.

I'll happily be proven wrong about the strength of the squad.

While the team can be absent when the going gets though, I have seldomly seen a situation where a leader is alone and a team is needed, if the leader is the best.

A team mostly helps if the leader is vulnerable and shows weakness, but this mostly happens uphill, and the only thing I see is something like Soler with his scary eyes looking behind to see if Pogacar is still following, but those situations are inevitably to limit losses when the GC win is already out of the window.

Ofcourse a team can actively help to seal the win (e.g. setting a very high pace), but you still need the best in the race to finish it off. If you don't have a team to set the pace, and you're the strongest, you're most likely still win the GC. So whether it's Soudal or Jumbo having a strong team setting the pace, doesn't matter too much; while the win is sometimes depending on small details and the team, it's often mostly depending on the GC rider itself.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

One could maybe argue that van wilder was able to go for himself in the Giro this year since remco dropped out. Not so sure if he will see it like that though.

Ideally you need to send alaphillipe, van wilder and hirt I reckon, just to not be isolated all the time.

I'll happily be proven wrong about the strength of the squad.

If he gets to the start of the Vuelta in prime shape without concessions, then yes. But if they know he is too heavy due to the WCC TT as a goal, then i would not bother asking Van Wilder to throw his own schedule out the window. Because in that case, no matter the team, he would likely not get on the podium.

 

[theyoungest]

they need to win the Vuelta in different ways. Stealing bonus seconds on flat finishes.

If the sprint field is weak, why not bring Merlier to lead out Remco. Try and steal a few high placing finishes at the line (or at the very least, make Vingegaard waste energy sprinting)

I think Vingegaard will be very happy if Evenepoel does that. And let Roglic take the bonus seconds off him

 

[Didinho]

Can't imagine him going with extra weight just for the WC TT. Just stay with your schedule for the Vuelta and ride Sebastian and Worlds with were he's at. Maybe he will be to light for the gold in a flat TT, but he can surely go for the win. Don't need to stay a bit heavier just for that. The Vuelta will be won in the mountains.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Can't imagine him going with extra weight just for the WC TT. Just stay with your schedule for the Vuelta and ride Sebastian and Worlds with were he's at. Maybe he will be to light for the gold in a flat TT, but he can surely go for the win. Don't need to stay a bit heavier just for that. The Vuelta will be won in the mountains.

The WCC TT was a season goal, which fell in line with the WCC RR and San Sebastian and offered enough time to target Lombardia later on. In that regard the Vuelta is an afterthought, and i am not convinced it now takes priority over those other goals for him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Only 5 days until San Sebastian demolition.

If what Logic says is true, then wave goodbye to the Vuelta.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Only 5 days until San Sebastian demolition.

If what Logic says is true, then wave goodbye to the Vuelta.

What did i say?

 

[saunaking]

Poor kid is gonna be ganged up on at the Vuelta by Rog and Vingo. He better hope Vingo is exhausted and drops minutes before the Tourmalet stage.
And then there is the strength of the teams. He had a chance mano a mano vs Roglic, but a half decent Jonas and he's toast.

 

[houtdffan]

I think Vingegaard will be very happy if Evenepoel does that. And let Roglic take the bonus seconds off him

Remco is a better flat sprinter than Rog. Rog isn't taking bonus seconds off Remco

 

[Big Doopie]

The WCC TT was a season goal, which fell in line with the WCC RR and San Sebastian and offered enough time to target Lombardia later on. In that regard the Vuelta is an afterthought, and i am not convinced it now takes priority over those other goals for him.

i hope so.

also hirt has not been anyway near giro 2022 form...