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

[KoopaCycling]

How many top GC riders Belgium has? How many in the last 20 years? None. How many did you say "okay, he can win the Tour in 4 weeks"? Zero. Remco was national champion already, I would agree with you if he wasn't.
Belgium National RR is stacked because it's full of classics riders.
But in 4 weeks, we will see his final position in the Tour.

i consider your post and thought process irrelevant to the importance of a belgium RR Title. completely flawed as well.
It's stacked cause it's stacked. Cause Belgium is a cycling nation. Now If Evenepoel was a rider like Jurgen VDB who had no chance at most parcours I would not be surprised if he got ill, or DNF. That won't change that the Belgium RR matters far more than the RR of a country which has 1-4 solid riders. The field is as strong as it would be for some spring classics.

 

[Peyroteo94]

i consider your post and thought process irrelevant to the importance of a belgium RR Title. completely flawed as well.
It's stacked cause it's stacked. Cause Belgium is a cycling nation. Now If Evenepoel was a rider like Jurgen VDB who had no chance at most parcours I would not be surprised if he got ill, or DNF. That won't change that the Belgium RR matters far more than the RR of a country which has 1-4 solid riders.

To who?
Why is more important to Remco to be Belgian champion than to Grobschartner (for example) to be austrian champion?

 

[KoopaCycling]

Again with all due respect, the field ain't the same. Nor the historic value. If I beat Jan& Mieke in the 3rd annual ThreeWayStreet Classic or if i beat top riders in the 110th edition of the national RR of a cycling nation it's just different.

Winning the belgian basketball title ain't the same as winning the nba. That just how it is.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Again with all due respect, the field ain't the same. Nor the historic value. If I beat Jan& Mieke in 3rd annual ThreeWayStreet Classic or if i beat top riders in the 110th edition of the national RR of a cylcing nation it's just different.

It is more difficult to win belgium RR without a doubt. You didn't say that. That's not the point, you are saying it's more important for Remco to be Belgian champion than for Grobschartner to be austrian champion. Why? You are underrrating the importance of being national champion in small cycling nations.

 

[KoopaCycling]

That's how you see it. I see proper perspective.
I'll never argue that let's say winning the cyprus football league is the same as winning the english premier league.
Winning the austrian title ain't the same as winning the belgian title in cycling. No doubt Grosshartner is very happy being austrian champion, and thinks it an honor (which it is). But it don't hold the same weight.

 

[AmRacer]

That's how you see it. I see proper perspective.
I'll never argue that let's say winning the cyprus football league is the same as winning the english premier league.
Winning the austrian title ain't the same as winning the belgian title in cycling. No doubt Grosshartner is very happy being austrian champion, and thinks it an honor (which it is). But it don't hold the same weight.

Can non Belgians race Belgian Nationals? There are lots of non English playing in the Premier league.

 

[Berniece]

In my view, Remco is almost participating in Nationals because he needs a boost from his people before getting spanked (losing 2 minutes in every big MTF is a hard beating in my book, specially for a rider who aims to win the Tour one day) in the Tour. For me there is no other way to see this participation.

According to Evenepoel himself, he needs that extra race impulse that you can’t simulate. Like MVDP riding Tirreno again before MSR

 

[KoopaCycling]

Sure, pretend you don't see the point i was making @ Amracer

 

[Peyroteo94]

That's how you see it. I see proper perspective.
I'll never argue that let's say winning the cyprus football league is the same as winning the english premier league.
Winning the austrian title ain't the same as winning the belgian title in cycling. No doubt Grosshartner is very happy being austrian champion, and thinks it an honor (which it is). But it don't hold the same weight.

You are not getting my point... of course Belgium RR has more history and it's more difficult to win.
But do you think Pogacar (for example) would try to win more Nationals if he was belgian?

 

[AmRacer]

Sure, pretend you don't see the point i was making @ Amracer

You didn't make any point, can you not see?

 

[KoopaCycling]

You are not getting my point... of course Belgium RR has more history and it's more difficult to win.
But do you think Pogacar (for example) would try to win more Nationals if he was belgian?

Yes, cause he wants to win all big races as often as possible
He already participated in the less prestigious slovenian race plenty, even when being GT favourite.

@AmRacer if you can't see the point, then i can't help you. It's like science, some people won't accept that either.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes, cause he wants to win all big races as often as possible

But in what world is Belgium RR a big race?

 

[KoopaCycling]

It's as big as a semi classic at least.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It's as big as a semi classic at least.

Of course it isn't (and you even said at least. You really think it is a big race). Every neutral cycling fan will agree with me. But let's move on, I already understood your point.

 

[AmRacer]

Yes, cause he wants to win all big races as often as possible
He already participated in the less prestigious slovenian race plenty, even when being GT favourite.

@AmRacer if you can't see the point, then i can't help you. It's like science, some people won't accept that either.

I can't help you if you continue pretending you make a point. It's like science, some people won't accept that either.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Of course it isn't. Every neutral cycling fan will agree with me. But let's move on, I already understood your point.

Compare semi classic winners to belgian National RR winners i dare you.
Compare startlist of Belgian National RR to Semi classic.
Compare history of Belgian National Road Race to Semi Classic

I'm sorry but Belgium in cycling is just different than most countries.
That's just a fact.

 

[Salvarani]

It is a big win. Just like San Sebastian.

 

[AmRacer]

Compare semi classic winners to belgian National RR winners i dare you.
Compare startlist of Belgian National RR to Semi classic.

I'm sorry but Belgium in cycling is just different than most countries.
That's just a fact.

For a Belgian it is, and that's just fact.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It is a big win. Just like San Sebastian.

This is why I have a love hate relationship with Remco. Kid has such a big personality off the road, almost a bad guy (he is way better though), a lot of charisma and guts on the bike but some of his fans are tough to listen or read (sometimes). The opposite might happens too but at least I base my opinion on facts.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

You didn't make any point, can you not see?

Of course he did. It is a valid opinion to think that a Belgian/French/Spanish/Dutch/Italian rider might take more pride in winning that championship than a Moldovan/Mongolian/Mauritian might. Commentators and those negotiating contracts will pay more attention to the former group than the latter, and the value in any victory is built on who one has beaten.

Whether the prestige of such a title justifies breaking a block of altitude training is another question.

 

[KoopaCycling]

No doubt since non-belgians can't win it, you don't put as much value on it as a belgian. That alone won't change it's significance. Let's not pretend a dude racing in the national colours of say poland carries the same weight in the peloton as the dude rocking the belgian jersey.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

This is why I have a love hate relationship with Remco...t some of his fans are tough to listen or read (sometimes).

That might not be exclusive to Evenepoel's fans.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Of course he did. It is a valid opinion to think that a Belgian/French/Spanish/Dutch/Italian rider might take more pride in winning that championship than a Moldovan/Mongolian/Mauritian might. Commentators and those negotiating contracts will pay more attention to the former group than the latter, and the value in any victory is built on who one has beaten.

Whether the prestige of such a title justifies breaking a block of altitude training is another question.

But we are talking about the best belgian rider in the last 30 years. By his own words, he wants to win the Tour one day. Let's not pretend his contract will be influenced by his performance in the Nationals when he can win Olympics, Worlds, monuments.
My point has been how he is trying to boost his confidence before the beating he will get in the Tour. Almost collecting secondary wins because he can't win big right now, specially against a peak Pogacar.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

But we are talking about the best belgian rider in the last 30 years. By his own words, he wants to win the Tour one day. Let's not pretend his contract will be influenced by his performance in the Nationals when he can win Olympics, Worlds, monuments.
My point has been how he is trying to boost his confidence before the beating he will get in the Tour. Almost collecting secondary wins because he can't win big right now, specially against a peak Pogacar.

which is also a valid opinion and nothing to do with what I said.

 

[Berniece]

My point has been how he is trying to boost his confidence before the beating he will get in the Tour. Almost collecting secondary wins because he can't win big right now, specially against a peak Pogacar.

Again, that’s not why, it’s because he wants that extra impulse you only get from racing. Not to mention it would be unique to win the double NC.

EDIT: not so unique, Gilbert won the double in 2011. He’s the only one to have done so.