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

[AlpRaid]

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love the fact that he would like to have VDP as a teammate. I know they are friends, but it also shows his willingness not to be sole top dog (as does his mention of Landa).

 

[AmRacer]

hmm. but vingo is likely to be better than last year too.

a third place seems like a realistic goal (and that is barring accidents, etc.).

I expect Vingo to be much closer to Pog this time around.

So if Remco can bring the gap to Pog to 5-6 minutes, he may still actually be further behind Vingo than last year (which I fully expect).

The time gap depends on lots of factors, the route is one for example.

 

[AlpRaid]

The time gap depends on lots of factors, the route is one for example.

isn't there an MTT this year? remco could lose 2 minutes just there. keeping it to 1 minute would be a small miracle (ironically much more than he has the potential to gain in the flat ITT).

So 5-6 mins gap at the end of the TDF would be a good result.

 

[hayneplane]

love the fact that he would like to have VDP as a teammate. I know they are friends, but it also shows his willingness not to be sole top dog (as does his mention of Landa).

I think it also shows a recognition of how much having Wout Van Aert alongside him for Belgium has played in his favour in Worlds and Olympics. MVDP could be that and even more.

 

[AmRacer]

I think it also shows a recognition of how much having Wout Van Aert alongside him for Belgium has played in his favour in Worlds and Olympics. MVDP could be that and even more.

Mathieu races for himself only.

 

[AlpRaid]

I think it also shows a recognition of how much having Wout Van Aert alongside him for Belgium has played in his favour in Worlds and Olympics. MVDP could be that and even more.

agreed.

but he has also never shied away from working for others: Gilbert, Jacobsen, etc.

glad that he seems to have buried the hatchet with WVA -- seem even friendly. Yes, WVA has been a fabulous teammate at Worlds and Olympics. Hoping that Remco can eventually be in the position to "repay". would love for WVA to trade all those silvers for one gold.

 

[red_flanders]

Mathieu races for himself only.

Fair. Feel like that's appropriate for his win rate. For Belgium choosing Wout vs Remco, much tougher and can very much see why they've made the calls they have.

 

[AlpRaid]

Mathieu races for himself only.

really?

what about all those leadouts for Philipsen...(?)

 

[hayneplane]

Mathieu races for himself only.

In the classics yes but in TDF he has done some huge leadouts for Philipsen.

 

[hayneplane]

agreed.

but he has also never shied away from working for others: Gilbert, Jacobsen, etc.

glad that he seems to have buried the hatchet with WVA -- seem even friendly. Yes, WVA has been a fabulous teammate at Worlds and Olympics. Hoping that Remco can eventually be in the position to "repay". would love for WVA to trade all those silvers for one gold.

That is true. I was at the Worlds in 2019 and even as a neo pro he was strong enough to have been a protected rider but he took it upon himself to drop back and try and drag Gilbert back to the bunch after Gilbert had crashed in the barrier section and totally emptied the tank for his idol.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Hopefully 1,5kg didn't come at the expense of balls.

Balls impress girls but add weight uphill so Remco has a tough decision to make...

 

[CyclistAbi]

Balls impress girls but add weight uphill so Remco has a tough decision to make...

Yeah, kids first, then balls can become rather redundant.

 

[Andre]

Remco also helped out his friend Lecerf

 

[houtdffan]

hmm. but vingo is likely to be better than last year too.

a third place seems like a realistic goal (and that is barring accidents, etc.).

I expect Vingo to be much closer to Pog this time around.

So if Remco can bring the gap to Pog to 5-6 minutes, he may still actually be further behind Vingo than last year (which I fully expect).

Neither were at their best due to injury, yet he had a real chance at second until the final mtf.

These diesel climbs should also favor him sonewhat.

Not saying he beats pog barring a pog implosion like the last time in courchervel, but vingo should be in play again

 

[AlpRaid]

Neither were at their best due to injury, yet he had a real chance at second until the final mtf.

These diesel climbs should also favor him sonewhat.

Not saying he beats pog barring a pog implosion like the last time in courchervel, but vingo should be in play again

But Vingo beat Pog twice, and pretty convincingly. I feel like he will be very close to Pog this time (if not pull the "upset"). So, if you extrapolate from that, Remco is not just closing down 2 1/2 minutes on Vingo, but much much more.

We'll see. It would be good for the race if they are more level, but there's also a chance at least one of them will have bad luck of some kind (hoping not, and certainly hoping Remco does not crash!).

 

[Gratemans]

In the classics yes but in TDF he has done some huge leadouts for Philipsen.

This. And by now, he's just better at the classics than Wout. Not by a huge margin, but he is.

I suspect that's also because Wout has turned himself more into an all-rounder because that's what his team needed from him.
Mathieu has always been in a team where the GC doesn't matter. He is the star in the classics, Philipsen sprints in the Grand Tours.

Had Wout been on another team where he could solely focus on the classics, things might have turned out very differently, but as it is, let's not forget he also pulled off some ridiculous stuff in support of his main GC guys. In that sense, he's actually quite unique come to think of it. But it's all speculation anyway.

 

[AlpRaid]

This. And by now, he's just better at the classics than Wout. Not by a huge margin, but he is.

I suspect that's also because Wout has turned himself more into an all-rounder because that's what his team needed from him.
Mathieu has always been in a team where the GC doesn't matter. He is the star in the classics, Philipsen sprints in the Grand Tours.

Had Wout been on another team where he could solely focus on the classics, things might have turned out very differently, but as it is, let's not forget he also pulled off some ridiculous stuff in support of his main GC guys. In that sense, he's actually quite unique come to think of it. But it's all speculation anyway.

then again, if VDP and Remco were on the same team, they largely target different types of classics, so...

it's all moot conjecture anyway.

 

[Gratemans]

then again, if VDP and Remco were on the same team, they largely target different types of classics, so...

it's all moot conjecture anyway.

I was more responding to the "Mahieu races only for himself" statement, and why that only makes sense considering the make up of the team Mathieu is currently in.

VdP and Remco in one team? Yeah, that would make for a spring season to behold for sure.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Mathieu races for himself only.

Huh? The guy literally stopped working with Pog last year at San Remo to allow Philipsen to come back because JP said he felt great. He's led out Philipsen in sprints countless times.
I swear, I hear the craziest stuff on this board.

 

[AmRacer]

really?

what about all those leadouts for Philipsen...(?)

Remco is a sprinter?

 

[AmRacer]

Huh? The guy literally stopped working with Pog last year at San Remo to allow Philipsen to come back because JP said he felt great. He's led out Philipsen in sprints countless times.
I swear, I hear the craziest stuff on this board.

Remco is a sprinter?

 

[Berniece]

glad that he seems to have buried the hatchet with WVA -- seem even friendly. Yes, WVA has been a fabulous teammate at Worlds and Olympics. Hoping that Remco can eventually be in the position to "repay". would love for WVA to trade all those silvers for one gold.

I disagree a bit with Wout having been a great teammate. Only in the Olympics, but never really in worlds.

Remco had a big shot at WC 2021 and never got it. In 2022, WVA chased after Remco.

 

[Oldman]

love the fact that he would like to have VDP as a teammate. I know they are friends, but it also shows his willingness not to be sole top dog (as does his mention of Landa).

It's a good idea but it shows he wants a teammate that is capable of winning when he can't. It would greatly take some pressure off him and be a great step for the team. Not sure it would happen with the current management but I'm ignorant to the structural and financial upside for QS. What with sultanates and oligarchies buying up sports enterprises means to top performers offers a new angle for cycling.

 

[Oldman]

Mathieu races for himself only.

Maybe in 'cross. It's what he's paid to do. On the road he's spent multiple GT stages working hard to get his other teammates led out in sprints. He's really good at it, too.

 

[AmRacer]

Maybe in 'cross. It's what he's paid to do. On the road he's spent multiple GT stages working hard to get his other teammates led out in sprints. He's really good at it, too.

Yeah, but Remco and Mathieu targets the same races. Remco is no Philipsen.