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

[Cycling111]

Remco doesn't need a team to attack in the mountains.
In a TDF, that's usually handled by the favorite's team and the second contender.

Right now, Remco is aiming for the podium.

His team cannot approach the Tour as if Remco were at least the second favorite to win it. We have to be realistic, and what Remco needs to do is minimize losses to the top two. Until he proves he's the second contender for the Tour, it's normal for Soudal or another team not to put seven riders at his disposal.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So nowhere does it say he’s furious Merlier is riding TDF. You are seeing ghosts

OK, if you say so. Lets see on how that one goes at the Tour.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Is Wout riding the TT? 80 % Remco isn't enough to win then.

I don't think so.
I think Segaert, Vermeersch, Lampaert his biggest adversaries in the TT i think.
So long as he don't crash, he just needs to show up and race okay.

RR is a different beast

 

[Berniece]

Remco doesn't need a team to attack in the mountains.
In a TDF, that's usually handled by the favorite's team and the second contender.

Right now, Remco is aiming for the podium.

His team cannot approach the Tour as if Remco were at least the second favorite to win it. We have to be realistic, and what Remco needs to do is minimize losses to the top two. Until he proves he's the second contender for the Tour, it's normal for Soudal or another team not to put seven riders at his disposal.

He only needs 1 rider with him until Pogacar attacks, that’s it. Just 1 person that can fetch drinks or take the wind for him.

 

[AmRacer]

He only needs 1 rider with him until Pogacar attacks, that’s it. Just 1 person that can fetch drinks or take the wind for him.

Who would that be? VLAB will drop everyone bar favorites and some UAE riders.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Remco at 80% beats every belgian in a TT with one leg. He is a monster.
For the Tour, it doesn't matter what team he will bring, he will not lead the Tour after Hautacam and will just follow UAE or Jumbo train and try to limit losses.

 

[Flamin]

It matters having at least 1 experienced rouleur in the team to guide you through the first week as economically as possible, and avoid crashes, especially for a guy like Remco, who is far from great in manoeuvring through the bunch.

Not that it is going to impact the GC, as Pogacar and Vingegaard are too far ahead.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I think Remco needs to be smart about his positioning as well so as to save as much energy as possible when getting food/bottles. I would even dare gamble. And avoid the hustle. Hang back a bit, and try and read the finale right so that the only time you waste energy on positioning is when the finale truly begins.

This of course only in case he finds himself quickly isolated time and again and need to get his own stuff. If he got a domestique that can get his stuff, better to stay relative upfront, and stay put there.

 

[Billy The Kid]

It matters having at least 1 experienced rouleur in the team to guide you through the first week as economically as possible, and avoid crashes, especially for a guy like Remco, who is far from great in manoeuvring through the bunch.

Not that it is going to impact the GC, as Pogacar and Vingegaard are too far ahead.

Exactly👍The one tailor made for this job is Eenkhoorn. He is super strong rouler,in good form and is big of build so Remco will have perfect shield/slipstream behind him for the first 9 stages.

Except stage 6 which is like a classic (LBL lookalike) stage with over 3000 vertical meter of climbing. On this stage Schachmann and Van Wilder can do a solid job for him deep into the final. We could also have a scenario on s6 that Pog or Remco will try to attack from far out, but probably to early in the tour for this. Lets see

 

[houtdffan]

Remco should go all in on raids for stages 2 and 4. Attack on his terrain. Stop waiting for pogs

 

[red_flanders]

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.

Pretty sure doing a TT won’t ruin his Tour prep.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Remco should go all in on raids for stages 2 and 4. Attack on his terrain. Stop waiting for pogs

So he should attack on the flat parts of those stages? Could be possible on Stage 4, Stage 2 it makes no sense to do so

 

[saunaking]

Like Pogi and Jonas will really let you win a stage?

Jonas has no say in this matter

 

[veganrob]

Why trying to follow the mutants at all costs? To release his fury maybe it's better to lose a lot of GC time and win a few stages instead?

Might as well. That’s what Roglic will be doing.

 

[houtdffan]

So he should attack on the flat parts of those stages? Could be possible on Stage 4, Stage 2 it makes no sense to do so

He can attack the hills at the end of stage 2. Or on a downhill

 

[QueenStagiaire]

He can attack the hills at the end of stage 2. Or on a downhill

You talked about his terrain. That‘s not the downhill.

 

[houtdffan]

You talked about his terrain. That‘s not the downhill.

he's been reasonably good as of late on the downhill. Plus, many of his famous attacks have been at the top of a climb and continued on the downhill

 

[Unchained]

First one is TT. Sure it's a long day of prep but Remco only needs to be at around 80% to win that one cause he's that good at TT. RR comes later and any fatigue from travelling should be gone.

I disagree with these picking your battles thing. That is what WVA did, and in picking his battles he lost so many important races simply by not bothering to show up. When hey could have easily added some races without really losing out. Obviously i don't mean to say you should ride everything. But there is no reason at all to skip certain races if you can factor them in around your bigger goals. Also the belgian National championship ain't nothing to scoff at. Belgian, Italian, French, Spanish National championships matter imo. I'll grant you other national championships may fall under a more personal desire to be champion of your country. But those 4 national titles are worth more than other national titles imo.

First one is TT. Sure it's a long day of prep but Remco only needs to be at around 80% to win that one cause he's that good at TT. RR comes later and any fatigue from travelling should be gone.

I disagree with these picking your battles thing. That is what WVA did, and in picking his battles he lost so many important races simply by not bothering to show up. When hey could have easily added some races without really losing out. Obviously i don't mean to say you should ride everything. But there is no reason at all to skip certain races if you can factor them in around your bigger goals. Also the belgian National championship ain't nothing to scoff at. Belgian, Italian, French, Spanish National championships matter imo. I'll grant you other national championships may fall under a more personal desire to be champion of your country. But those 4 national titles are worth more than other national titles imo.

If Remco needed another reason( he doesn't) to skip Belgian nats, Jarno Widar crashed out of Giro 2nd gen, likely impacting his seasons balance. If you have to pick colors.. Anything TDF, rainbow, Belgian national jersey, in that order. Ask DeLie what kind of start money race promoters are offering him and compare that to Remco..1000:1 ratio.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

he's been reasonably good as of late on the downhill. Plus, many of his famous attacks have been at the top of a climb and continued on the downhill

Many of his famous attacks are just before the top of a climb followed by a plateau where he can scooter away.

 

[TrekCyclist]

Might get interesting (aka team mates needed) if Evenepoel is dropped before the final climb, and Lipowitz and/or Roglic are in a group further up.

 

[KenFiamingo]

Yeah, so normally it should be easy for Evenepoel

Following SQS TT strategy, it's gonna be tough for Remco to gain 5kg by then and loose them again by the TDF.

 

[KoopaCycling]

If Remco needed another reason( he doesn't) to skip Belgian nats, Jarno Widar crashed out of Giro 2nd gen, likely impacting his seasons balance. If you have to pick colors.. Anything TDF, rainbow, Belgian national jersey, in that order. Ask DeLie what kind of start money race promoters are offering him and compare that to Remco..1000:1 ratio.

Sorry, i will never support someone skipping a race only out of fear of crashing.
Jarno Widar crashed out during one of his goals this season. It happens. Or are you suggesting riders should ride only the races 3 months prior the TdF, then skip everything to avoid crashing, then do the TdF, then skip everything again before WC. Then maybe call it early quits on the season . So as to have the best winter prep for next year TdF. There is a reason why lance Armstrong despite his record Tour wins is not even in the goat conversation.

TdF might be the biggest show in cycling, but it ain't cycling by itself.

 

[Berniece]

Might get interesting (aka team mates needed) if Evenepoel is dropped before the final climb, and Lipowitz and/or Roglic are in a group further up.

In that case GC doesn’t matter anymore, and there’s nothing beside stage wins and he should lose 20-30min of time

 

[CyclistAbi]

In that case GC doesn’t matter anymore, and there’s nothing beside stage wins and he should lose 20-30min of time

It's important to have a team member there in the time of need. Don't know if currently the team can replace Landa in this regards.

 

[Berniece]

It's important to have a team member there in the time of need. Don't know if currently the team can replace Landa in this regards.

If Roglic AND Lipowitz are able to ride away from him together with others, the GC doesn’t matter and neither does having teammates there.