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

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And Van Wilder was also there, he might also start to come through

Van Wilder was also there stage 7 when he was needed. I think many of those stages in the first week he wasn't "on duty" and they planned for him to be more fresh 2nd half of the Tour. Had he been on watch every stage up til now, he would probably not be able to be of much use the upcoming hard stages. Last year he had to cover for Vervaeke dropping out, but then they still had Landa for the mountains. Now it's Van Wilder and PP.

 

[Berniece]

interested to see what he might do in the MTT. in the interview he seemed to suggest that it being just one climb, he may be able to push W/Kg a bit closer to the two aliens (as opposed to it being the last of many climbs).

Also wonder what bike they eventually choose to ride on. Why would he take the ITT bike

 

[Rou]

I'm a Pog fan but I'll say it here.
If Pogacar does not win the TDF I want Remco Evenepoel to win it.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I'm a Pog fan but I'll say it here.
If Pogacar does not win the TDF I want Remco Evenepoel to win it.

Oh please. Vingegaard can drop him wherever he wants.

 

[Rou]

Oh please. Vingegaard can drop wherever he wants.

That's why I said ''want'' and not 'expect''.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Because people didn't have all the information. There is no one that currently says that Giro 2021 was stolen from Evenepoel. Bernal won it fair and square.

The so called "haters" strangely enough seemed to have all the information necessary.
Very nice of the fanboys to acknowledge that Bernal won that. Fair! Also irrelevant, it's the predictions, that were hilariously over-optimistic that count. Since he wasn't able to start in 20, the reality check that then happened in 21 didn't happen in 20. So we still get this dream that he would have won in 20, while not even the most deluded fan can claim that for 21.

 

[AmRacer]

🤔 one down. How can the other crash🤔

 

[Stablo]

I frankly have no idea why Evenepoel would think he can win the Tour this year but whatever. To me his biggest chance is outlasting the careers of Pogacar and Vingegaard and staying ahead of the rest.

His biggest chance is a new team and to finally learn how to train properly. I mean heat training, intervals, a lot of zone2 and we might see the 10% rise in level which pog also had 23/24 winter. That should be enough to stay close/challenge the alien duo also in the high mountains and with TT the Tour would clearly be possible.

I hope they get a new training program and he will reach the full potential of his generational talent. 😉

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

I hope they get a new training program and he will reach the full potential of his generational talent. 😉

But maybe they already have? At some point blaming the team, blaming his trainers, blaming him for his training becomes ridiculous. It's not like he's riding 20' behind everybody else, beaten by Gall and Gaudu, Mas and McNulty. He's number 3. Last year he was clearly beaten by Pogacar and Vingegaard, this year it looks like it might end the same, but we don't know yet. Despite the training crash in winter it's realistic to expect that his preparation was better than in 24. And he might end up closer to Pogacar than in 24. Or might be roughly the same. No shame in that, Pogacar and Vingegaard were clearly way above every other rider in GTs in the last years. Super GT riders, Remco might just be a very good GT rider, but not a super one. Go for Giro again in 26 and he has every chance to fight for the win there, if he shows up with his Tour 24 level or the expected Tour 25 level. And if neither of the 2 monsters show up.

 

[Stablo]

But maybe they already have? At some point blaming the team, blaming his trainers, blaming him for his training becomes ridiculous. It's not like he's riding 20' behind everybody else, beaten by Gall and Gaudu, Mas and McNulty. He's number 3. Last year he was clearly beaten by Pogacar and Vingegaard, this year it looks like it might end the same, but we don't know yet. Despite the training crash in winter it's realistic to expect that his preparation was better than in 24. And he might end up closer to Pogacar than in 24. Or might be roughly the same. No shame in that, Pogacar and Vingegaard were clearly way above every other rider in GTs in the last years. Super GT riders, Remco might just be a very good GT rider, but not a super one. Go for Giro again in 26 and he has every chance to fight for the win there, if he shows up with his Tour 24 level or the expected Tour 25 level. And if neither of the 2 monsters show up.

I was being sarcastic regarding the level of the two aliens, but surely I think the team doesn't actually help him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

But maybe they already have? At some point blaming the team, blaming his trainers, blaming him for his training becomes ridiculous. It's not like he's riding 20' behind everybody else, beaten by Gall and Gaudu, Mas and McNulty. He's number 3. Last year he was clearly beaten by Pogacar and Vingegaard, this year it looks like it might end the same, but we don't know yet. Despite the training crash in winter it's realistic to expect that his preparation was better than in 24. And he might end up closer to Pogacar than in 24. Or might be roughly the same. No shame in that, Pogacar and Vingegaard were clearly way above every other rider in GTs in the last years. Super GT riders, Remco might just be a very good GT rider, but not a super one. Go for Giro again in 26 and he has every chance to fight for the win there, if he shows up with his Tour 24 level or the expected Tour 25 level. And if neither of the 2 monsters show up.

When you see a guy like Wellens at the age of 33 (now 34) go Godzilla since joining UAE, and then you see SQS guys with arguably more talent (Schachmann, Van Wilder, Cattaneo..) cry for their mommies when Wellens (or Politt, or Bjerg...) hammers it, you want to claim the team or trainers are on the same level? Good one.

 

[Lorzenz08]

When you see a guy like Wellens at the age of 33 (now 34) go Godzilla since joining UAE, and then you see SQS guys with arguably more talent (Schachmann, Van Wilder, Cattaneo..) cry for their mommies when Wellens (or Politt, or Bjerg...) hammers it, you want to claim the team or trainers are on the same level? Good one.

Not sure Wellens has similar results as pre 2023

 

[Berniece]

When you see a guy like Wellens at the age of 33 (now 34) go Godzilla since joining UAE, and then you see SQS guys with arguably more talent (Schachmann, Van Wilder, Cattaneo..) cry for their mommies when Wellens (or Politt, or Bjerg...) hammers it, you want to claim the team or trainers are on the same level? Good one.

There are multiple factors at play of course. Could be that a different training method isn’t the issue

 

[Low is rhe new high]

When you see a guy like Wellens at the age of 33 (now 34) go Godzilla since joining UAE, and then you see SQS guys with arguably more talent (Schachmann, Van Wilder, Cattaneo..) cry for their mommies when Wellens (or Politt, or Bjerg...) hammers it, you want to claim the team or trainers are on the same level? Good one.

Is that really a fair comparison? UAE probably have access to completely different resources. To put that as a fault on SQS trainers?

 

[Stablo]

There are multiple factors at play of course. Could be that a different training method isn’t the issue

And those are the things one shall not talk here.

 

[KoopaCycling]

D-Day N1

 

[Ulle97]

Hoping Remco can do well today.

If he can finish 3rd out of the GC favourites and within 2mins of Pogacar he's doing well.

He can't let Lipowitz, Jorgenson or Roglic out climb him here or it doesn't bode well for the bigger mountain stages.

 

[Berniece]

Article with Koen Pelgrim (Evenepoel's trainer) about how Evenepoel could get better.
Key points:

• Evenepoel's wattage in ITT position or climbing is the same. While others push way less wattage while in their ITT position.
• Numbers he's seen floating around on the internet from plateau de beille from Pogacar last year were exaggerated, but he can't imagine Evenepoel ever having such a good day and come close to that performance.
• Evenepoel can take further steps in development, and even win the TDF, as long as he stays crash free for at least 18 months.
• If he stagnates the next 1-2 years, only then will they increase the workload of his trainings with the possibility that he goes over his limits and the whole year is in vain.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/sport/wielrennen/dat-risico-kunnen-we-binnen-enkele-jaren-eens-overwegen-hoe-trainer-van-remco-evenepoel-hoopt-ooit-de-kloof-met-pogacar-te-dichten/77641198.html

 

[red_flanders]

Just saw a pre-race interview...did he lose the gold helmet?

 

[KoopaCycling]

it going to be a hot day today. He also wore a white helmet in past races whenever the heat became something to consider.

 

[Berflamand]

it going to be a hot day today. He also wore a white helmet in past races whenever the heat became something to consider.

Yeah the helmet is probably because of the heat.

I'm not watching yet but from the pre-race pictures it looks like he also ditched the golden bike? I guess that's because of a weight difference?

 

[Berniece]

I'm not watching yet but from the pre-race pictures it looks like he also ditched the golden bike? I guess that's because of a weight difference?

Did the same in Dauphine. I think it's just a different bike that they haven't wrapped like that.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Article with Koen Pelgrim (Evenepoel's trainer) about how Evenepoel could get better.
Key points:

• Evenepoel's wattage in ITT position or climbing is the same. While others push way less wattage while in their ITT position.
• Numbers he's seen floating around on the internet from plateau de beille from Pogacar last year were exaggerated, but he can't imagine Evenepoel ever having such a good day and come close to that performance.
• Evenepoel can take further steps in development, and even win the TDF, as long as he stays crash free for at least 18 months.
• If he stagnates the next 1-2 years, only then will they increase the workload of his trainings with the possibility that he goes over his limits and the whole year is in vain.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/sport/wielrennen/dat-risico-kunnen-we-binnen-enkele-jaren-eens-overwegen-hoe-trainer-van-remco-evenepoel-hoopt-ooit-de-kloof-met-pogacar-te-dichten/77641198.html

18 months... Maybe get lucky with no huge crashes (like Lombardia or like this winter). But no crashes at all, he will always crash like he did in Dauphiné, especially if he doesn't work on his technique.

"If he stagnates"... according to Evenepoel himself, he has already been stagnating since the Vuelta 2022.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Can't keep Van Wilder's wheel.

 

[Berniece]

That's dissapointing, another one of these GT's