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

[jmdirt]

Remco is a structural challenge. He's got a broad upper body that will only shed so much muscle without being injury compromised. Looking at most GT guys they look like their skeletal system was somehow replaced with child-width bones. They also break like glass when they hit the pavement. You clearly have the gift of metabolism that will modulate like that.

There might be something genetic about it, but with the exception of my father who ran, hiked, and lifted weights until a few months before he died, everyone on both sides of my family are considerably heavier (more body fat) people than me (and even dad was 175-180 pounds most of his adult life). Like you said, maybe my metabolism is able to respond, but my activity level and nutrition certainly plays a part in that as well.

I'm really unimportant to my point that I think that RE CAN be at a 'good' GT weight if he really wants to.

 

[KoopaCycling]

good GT weight is the weight in which Remco performs best.
Up to him and the team around him to discover his optimal weight.
They need to work it out sooner rather than later though.

 

[Oldman]

good GT weight is the weight in which Remco performs best.
Up to him and the team around him to discover his optimal weight.
They need to work it out sooner rather than later though.

That's a point in favor of changing the team around him. He's been handled like the hero Belgians hope him to be rather than the athlete he has the potential to be, IMO. An honest analysis from both a cycling and commercial/promotion point of view may come to a conclusion that doesn't prioritize the GC in a GT. He can be a very successful hybrid of MVP and maybe win one, too.
He has to be brutally honest on what his expectations can actually be. That said; he might need to keep those conclusions and ambitions under wraps until he is deep into whatever training adjustments that will get him to where he wants to be. I mean, most of the time he seems fairly happy and adjusted in spite of injuries.

 

[Rou]

I see that Remco is on the startlist for the Belgium ITT Champs on PCS. Why is he doing that? Why is he ruining his preparation because of meme races again? You don't see Jonas or Tadej doing such things. But hey if he wants to keep focusing on TTs and get destroyed in the mountains so be it.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I see that Remco is on the startlist for the Belgium ITT Champs on PCS. Why is he doing that? Why is he ruining his preparation because of meme races again? You don't see Jonas or Tadej doing such things. But hey if he wants to keep focusing on TTs and get destroyed in the mountains so be it.

He already lifted the white flag. Just like you, I was wondering why doing just one week of training and then go to Belgium for Nationals when he will have the Tour in 3 weeks and got crushed in the mountains.
My only conclusion is that Remco is very close to peak shape and can't improve more (or improve just a tiny bit).

 

[Samu Cuenca]

He has to be on the startlist for the Belgian NC, but whether he rides it or if his pollen allergy suddenly flares up remain to be seen.

 

[Berniece]

I see that Remco is on the startlist for the Belgium ITT Champs on PCS. Why is he doing that? Why is he ruining his preparation because of meme races again? You don't see Jonas or Tadej doing such things. But hey if he wants to keep focusing on TTs and get destroyed in the mountains so be it.

That 1 day is really going to make a difference… maybe Pogacar should ride some more ITT’s if he doesn’t want to keep getting completely destroyed

 

[AmRacer]

That 1 day is really going to make a difference… maybe Pogacar should ride some more ITT’s if he doesn’t want to keep getting completely destroyed

Pogi doesn't care about flat TT's.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pogi doesn't care about flat TT's.

Of course he does, he wants to win everything. He even wants to win bunch sprints. He just sucks at them.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Remco is a structural challenge.

Darnedest thing i heard today.

 

[Lorzenz08]

Of course he does, he wants to win everything. He even wants to win bunch sprints. He just sucks at them.

He doesnt suck at them he is probably top 5 in the World on flat TT.

And yes he does wants to win everything, and he will, but this is not his priority for the moment. For now the GTs and Monuments are his priorities. And they dont require to be the best on flat ITT.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He doesnt suck at them he is probably top 5 in the World on flat TT.

And yes he does wants to win everything, and he will, but this is not his priority for the moment. For now the GTs and Monuments are his priorities. And they dont require to be the best on flat ITT.

By sucking i was obviously exaggerating in the context of him dominating every other aspect of cycling.

 

[Berniece]

He doesnt suck at them he is probably top 5 in the World on flat TT.

Top 10 maybe

 

[KoopaCycling]

Why would he not ride Belgian Nationals?
I doubt it will make a big difference training wise.
Not like he'll do any extra prep for either of them.
Just a bit less time on the high mountains. But given that he spent months there already a few days more would only do so much imo.

They're close to each other as well. one is the 27th, the other the 29th.
So 5 days less of altitude training, but he can still keep his training up otherwise.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I just calculated his chances in the Tour using a completely scientific method:

Win: 1.7%
Second place: 14.8%
Third place: 34.1%

Podium total: 51.6%

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I just calculated his chances in the Tour using a completely scientific method:

Win: 1.7%
Second place: 14.8%
Third place: 34.1%

Podium total: 51.6%

So scientific that the numbers add up to 50.6 instead of 51.6

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So scientific that the numbers add up to 50.6 instead of 51.6

He's clearly misunderstood the German 50+1 rule.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

So scientific that the numbers add up to 50.6 instead of 51.6

I was hoping no one would catch that. Oh well, math is idiotic.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

He's clearly misunderstood the German 50+1 rule.

To be fair, that is not necessary to understand in a sport with a 100-0 rule

 

[AlpRaid]

I see that Remco is on the startlist for the Belgium ITT Champs on PCS. Why is he doing that? Why is he ruining his preparation because of meme races again? You don't see Jonas or Tadej doing such things. But hey if he wants to keep focusing on TTs and get destroyed in the mountains so be it.

u do know that he is actually required to race these by the Belgian national federation, right?

u also do know that Pog has raced the Slovenian ITT and Road Race (and won both, I believe, in different years) even tho these are even less than "meme races" considering the lack of competition in that country. he won't now because he is not required to.

as for vingo, he even refuses to ride for his national team at worlds - even in support of another rider. is that really to be commended?

and if remco is to be destroyed in the mountains anyway, why not put himself in line to win something else? is that wrong?

last year, he got "sick" and could not compete -- probably because he was desperately losing weight.

I hope he does race the Nats. the Belgian Nats are likely the most competitive of all, so not completely meaningless. also it would mean that he has lost as much weight as he can or that he has resolved that he is only a touch above Almeida in GT racing and should aim only for the podium -- a reasonable and commendable conclusion.

aside: interesting that the freakin' national ITT race is longer than any GT ITT. just ridiculous how this fabulous form of racing has been downgraded for absolutely no gain whatsoever.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

u do know that he is actually required to race these by the Belgian national federation, right?

Only the road race. But since he has to be there and interrupt whatever he could be doing to prepare for the TDF anyway, he might just as well do the TT too.

 

[Unchained]

Why would he not ride Belgian Nationals?
I doubt it will make a big difference training wise.
Not like he'll do any extra prep for either of them.
Just a bit less time on the high mountains. But given that he spent months there already a few days more would only do so much imo.

They're close to each other as well. one is the 27th, the other the 29th.
So 5 days less of altitude training, but he can still keep his training up otherwise.

Some liability issues, he needs day before, and race day and then return travel for altitude, so maybe 4 day interruption to some degree . Belgian field will be outstanding as always but also race could be slightly more dangerous than WT level, if he has another minor fall like Dauphine, could knock him out of the tour, not super risky, but maybe unnecessary. When you say @5 days less have to include travel days and ramp up and down can't do 6hrs on the bike and travel without being a little flat.. Upside is taking jersey from De Lie

 

[Unchained]

u do know that he is actually required to race these by the Belgian national federation, right?

u also do know that Pog has raced the Slovenian ITT and Road Race (and won both, I believe, in different years) even tho these are even less than "meme races" considering the lack of competition in that country. he won't now because he is not required to.

as for vingo, he even refuses to ride for his national team at worlds - even in support of another rider. is that really to be commended?

and if remco is to be destroyed in the mountains anyway, why not put himself in line to win something else? is that wrong? or is he only pursuing a cycling career so that you have someone to criticize no matter what action he takes?

last year, he got "sick" and could not compete -- probably because he was desperately losing weight.

I hope he does race the Nats. the Belgian Nats are likely the most competitive of all, so not completely meaningless. also it would mean that he has lost as much weight as he can or that he has resolved that he is only a touch above Almeida in GT racing and should aim only for the podium -- a reasonable and commendable conclusion.

aside: interesting that the freakin' national ITT race is longer than any GT ITT. just ridiculous how this fabulous form of racing has been downgraded for absolutely no gain whatsoever.

Is Nat TT distance @40k?

 

[Berniece]

Is Nat TT distance @40k?

Yeah, so normally it should be easy for Evenepoel

 

[KoopaCycling]

Some liability issues, he needs day before, and race day and then return travel for altitude, so maybe 4 day interruption to some degree . Belgian field will be outstanding as always but also race could be slightly more dangerous than WT level, if he has another minor fall like Dauphine, could knock him out of the tour, not super risky, but maybe unnecessary. When you say @5 days less have to include travel days and ramp up and down can't do 6hrs on the bike and travel without being a little flat.. Upside is taking jersey from De Lie

Lets say you travel late in the day on the 26th. You race on 27th. Maybe take a rest day in between or light training on the 28th. Race again on the 29th, travel back later that night. day of rest maybe afterwards. That's 4 days, and you raced and possible trained a bit. just not on altitude.

Also if you skip races out of fear of crashing... Then why bother with the TdF. Most hectic race of them all.