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

[Tim Cahill]

Is that two thirds or two to three?

2 to 3, I don't think he's been on the sugary pastries like pre-Dauphine, then again I've just seen Vingegaard and it looks like a hamster blowing out his birthday candles would send him flying.

 

[ManicJack]

2 to 3, I don't think he's been on the sugary pastries like pre-Dauphine, then again I've just seen Vingegaard and it looks like a hamster blowing out his birthday candles would send him flying.

Roglic is looking pretty lean also.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He looks more like Groenewegen than Vingegaard.

Well yes, but 3 weeks ago he looked like John Goodman. I feel confident he can outclimb Groenewegen.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

The old man mentioned 1 kilo of difference to overcome since the Dauphine, well...
He's looking ready to challenge for top spots!

 

[houtdffan]

Hope he can find his best legs again this GT. So we can put all these weight guesses behind and just focus on what he achieved. Top 5 and a stage win will be a strong debut ride. After his interviews I’m optimistic. Hope he rides a bit conservatively the first 2 weeks (TT exception) and be consistent. And no crashes/illness.

This can be a start of something to look forward to every year.

go all in week one. can conserve stages 10-13

get out to a lead. bury vingegaard

 

[memyselfandI]

He looks more like Groenewegen than Vingegaard.

I think he looks more Evenepoel than Vingegaard or Groenewegen does.

Thumbs up for him to light up the sky. I think it's just right moment for him to enter this race right now. He's matured well and seen and done great things and good races and not so good races to know how fine line it's between win and no win.

In interview he seemed very balanced and positive and that's the best right now.

 

[scribers]

He’s not going to look right without the Belgium champ jersey

 

[Medvind]

Those hoping for Remco to go nuts on stage 1 might be disappointed. Question is if can restrain himself....

"The only way I can win is by going solo, but it's not smart to do that with some GC ambitions in my head. Honestly, in the first week, I'll be more cautious than I am in Classics. You have to be smart, the Tour isn't one week, it's three long weeks," the former Vuelta a España winner says, having in mind how difficult the final week of the race is. "You have to economize where possible, I'll try to be as calm as possible and see how the race develops."

But of course smart thinking, 3rd week is brutal, then we have the olympics.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Those hoping for Remco to go nuts on stage 1 might be disappointed. Question is if can restrain himself....

"The only way I can win is by going solo, but it's not smart to do that with some GC ambitions in my head. Honestly, in the first week, I'll be more cautious than I am in Classics. You have to be smart, the Tour isn't one week, it's three long weeks," the former Vuelta a España winner says, having in mind how difficult the final week of the race is. "You have to economize where possible, I'll try to be as calm as possible and see how the race develops."

But of course smart thinking, 3rd week is brutal, then we have the olympics.

Yes, this is all in the video interview that was posted a few pages ago. He said something similar prior to the Vuelta in '22, that he would keep calm until after the TT. But he still went out for a stroll on Pico Jano. If the opportunity presents itself, he should not let it pass. That doesn't mean he needs to do a 50km solo. It's not about winning stages, if he wants to commit to GC. That should be a secondary objective.

 

[Medvind]

Yes, this is all in the video interview that was posted a few pages ago. He said something similar prior to the Vuelta in '22, that he would keep calm until after the TT. But he still went out for a stroll on Pico Jano. If the opportunity presents itself, he should not let it pass. That doesn't mean he needs to do a 50km solo. It's not about winning stages, if he wants to commit to GC. That should be a secondary objective.

Sorry I didn't noticed the video.

Think he really wants a stage win and that the first itt is his best chance. Therefore safe as much energy until that stage, but if he can go for the win in an earlier stage without going too deep do it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Sorry I didn't noticed the video.

Think he really wants a stage win and that the first itt is his best chance. Therefore safe as much energy until that stage, but if he can go for the win in an earlier stage without going too deep do it.

I was thinking more in terms of having the opportunity to get the advantage over some GC rivals, then he should seize that chance even if it doesn't mean he will win the stage.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He looks lean and ready to launch like a rocket ship.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Remco needs to hit them early and hit them hard....he can then hang in on the mountains

Safe Remco = boring

Need abit of shock and awe

 

[red_flanders]

Remco needs to hit them early and hit them hard....he can then hang in on the mountains

Safe Remco = boring

Need abit of shock and awe

I prefer how he's thinking about it. Unsafe Remco® hasn't worked out too well in GT's. I'd like to see how well he does playing it smart.

Would love to see that young man on the podium.

I hope all the GT guys get through w/o any crashes or damage. Remco and Roglič seem the most susceptible. Save your energy for positioning, Remco. Make sure that's nailed down before thinking about wins. Win a TT.

 

[Medvind]

I was thinking more in terms of having the opportunity to get the advantage over some GC rivals, then he should seize that chance even if it doesn't mean he will win the stage.

Depends I would say. Tour is the tour, much harder than the Vuelta, so I think he knows he must save energy for the 3rd week to avoid blowing up and losing minutes.. Going really deep on a stage in the 1st ord 2nd week and taking 20s on his rivals might just not be worth it. Sprinting for bonus seconds is another thing. That's why the 1st itt will be so important for Remco, there he can take time while the others goes just as deep as him. I can however see a chance that Remco might ride away with Pog and they work together and take time on rivals.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Depends I would say. Tour is the tour, much harder than the Vuelta, so I think he knows he must save energy for the 3rd week to avoid blowing up and losing minutes.. Going really deep on a stage in the 1st ord 2nd week and taking 20s on his rivals might just not be worth it. Sprinting for bonus seconds is another thing. That's why the 1st itt will be so important for Remco, there he can take time while the others goes just as deep as him. I can however see a chance that Remco might ride away with Pog and they work together and take time on rivals.

That was what i was talking about. A move for GC with a select few, even though it doesn't mean he wins the stage. But he needs to get involved if there is an opportunity to take time instead of losing time by waiting like how he lost Paris Nice.

 

[peterfin]

The idea that he needs to save energy is wrong imho. Yes, he shouldn't exhaust himself for a 20 seconds bonus but he still needs to spend energy when it matters most. The TT's are obvious but hilly stages like the first two days offer opportunities as well. If he simply plays defensive, it's higly probable that he loses time in the high mountains when his pacing can't keep with accelerations in the GC group. It won't be due to a lack of energy but power. That's when the podium is lost. If different terrain suits him better, he should use it. I would urge him to be opportunistic. For example, if MVDP goes, join him, go all in to take time in the GC and forget about the stage win.

 

[Extinction]

The idea that he needs to save energy is wrong imho. Yes, he shouldn't exhaust himself for a 20 seconds bonus but he still needs to spend energy when it matters most. The TT's are obvious but hilly stages like the first two days offer opportunities as well. If he simply plays defensive, it's higly probable that he loses time in the high mountains when his pacing can't keep with accelerations in the GC group. It won't be due to a lack of energy but power. That's when the podium is lost. If different terrain suits him better, he should use it. I would urge him to be opportunistic. For example, if MVDP goes, join him, go all in to take time in the GC and forget about the stage win.

Dude he's riding for GC until otherwise indicated. So he needs to follow Pogacar, Roglic and Vingegaard if he can. That is the only imperative before the TT, then you take stock and plan from there.

 

[houtdffan]

Yes, this is all in the video interview that was posted a few pages ago. He said something similar prior to the Vuelta in '22, that he would keep calm until after the TT. But he still went out for a stroll on Pico Jano. If the opportunity presents itself, he should not let it pass. That doesn't mean he needs to do a 50km solo. It's not about winning stages, if he wants to commit to GC. That should be a secondary objective.

if he can gain time like stage 6 of the vuelta or stage 9, he should then go all out and get time. 2 minutes on stage 1 is just as important as on stage 19

 

[Extinction]

In any case, Remco looked full of nerves on stage. Well, it's normal, first Tour and all. He should though take a deep breath, step back and depart with serenity. It's useless to get all worked up now.

 

[houtdffan]

Pog coming off Covid. He was sick just as Remco was

Maybe Pog not untouchable

 

[red_flanders]

Pog coming off Covid. He was sick just as Remco was

Maybe Pog not untouchable

He seemed none too troubled by it when sharing it today. Seems like the normal behavior is to downplay form/chances out of mutual respect for Vingegaard and the other competitors, so I kinda think he's gonna be crazy strong.

And I don't feel like he even went deep in the Giro.

Oh...and I don't buy Remco's sick story for one second.

 

[Karl Merckx]

Those hoping for Remco to go nuts on stage 1 might be disappointed. Question is if can restrain himself....

"The only way I can win is by going solo, but it's not smart to do that with some GC ambitions in my head. Honestly, in the first week, I'll be more cautious than I am in Classics. You have to be smart, the Tour isn't one week, it's three long weeks," the former Vuelta a España winner says, having in mind how difficult the final week of the race is. "You have to economize where possible, I'll try to be as calm as possible and see how the race develops."

But of course smart thinking, 3rd week is brutal, then we have the olympics.

He didn't say "The only way I can win is by going solo" , he said it's not wise to do a 30km solo in the first stage, and that he's not going to win in such a long solo, implying he could in a short solo or in small group sprint.

 

[Oldermanish]

Yes, this is all in the video interview that was posted a few pages ago. He said something similar prior to the Vuelta in '22, that he would keep calm until after the TT. But he still went out for a stroll on Pico Jano. If the opportunity presents itself, he should not let it pass. That doesn't mean he needs to do a 50km solo. It's not about winning stages, if he wants to commit to GC. That should be a secondary objective.

In my best dream of collaborative opportunities, he and Primoz take a flyer on technical territory and TTT as hard as they can. Primoz concedes the stage and they both gain a chunk of time.
For those that think Primoz can't/won't....watch the Tour stage where Sky (including Froome himself) and Dumoulin chased Primoz on downhill and undulating territory only to concede more time before the finish. Dumoulin complained about a moto proximity to Primoz as who kept catching and passing a media bike as a whiney excuse.
If Tadej and JV can catch that, great. Better yet...have Matteo join Remco and Primoz and put in a serious challenge.
It's like a weird daydream but it'd be fun to watch.

 

[AmRacer]

In my best dream of collaborative opportunities, he and Primoz take a flyer on technical territory and TTT as hard as they can. Primoz concedes the stage and they both gain a chunk of time.
For those that think Primoz can't/won't....watch the Tour stage where Sky (including Froome himself) and Dumoulin chased Primoz on downhill and undulating territory only to concede more time before the finish. Dumoulin complained about a moto proximity to Primoz as who kept catching and passing a media bike as a whiney excuse.
If Tadej and JV can catch that, great. Better yet...have Matteo join Remco and Primoz and put in a serious challenge.
It's like a weird daydream but it'd be fun to watch.

Mathieu triggers Tadej to go on an raid together. Mathieu wins the stage and Tadej puts minutes to the other GC contenders.
Don't know which stage is suitable for that.