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

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Maybe there is some overestimation but if it's sistematic the bulk of the argument still stands, especially considering his best performance came in arguably the hardest stage in the Tour.
One of my friends told me he was really sweating, so maybe he suffered from the heat, but I doubt that's the full story
Highest number on hardest stage >> almost guaranteed overestimate/perfect conditions/wasn't that hard.

He's just fatigued and getting worse, which is just a lack of base training.
 
People always want to close down Remco GT ambitions.
Meanwhile he was third just last year. Where is Carlos Rodriguez, where is Mas, where are so many others...

I get it. He can do other stuff really good as well.
But there is rly no need for him to pick and choose. He can do both.
It's how a cycling season has always been set up.
Also, sponsors have a say in what programs riders choose, and most sponsors want their best rider at Le Tour.
 
Remco wasn't great in Fleche Wallone.
He wasn't great in the Tour de Romandie.
He wasn't great in the Dauphiné.
And now he hasn't been great in the Tour de France.

The writing was on the wall, but we kept hoping he would somehow get back to TdF 2024 form.

Tomorrow is gonna be hell for him. I really really hope he finishes alongside the best of the non-mutants.
 
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Remco wasn't great in Fleche Wallone.
He wasn't great in the Tour de Romandie.
He wasn't great in the Dauphiné.
And now he hasn't been great in the Tour de France.

The writing was on the wall, but we kept hoping he would somehow get back to TdF 2024 form.

Tomorrow is gonna be hell for him. I really really hope he finish alongside with the best of the non-mutants.
I think there has been optimism mainly because the Dauphine ITT was really good, and because he wasn't much better in the Dauphine last year before having his best Grand Tour. But to me it looks to be downhill from here. While he's in 3rd, I'm basically already writing him off for the podium.
 
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I think there has been optimism mainly because the Dauphine ITT was really good, and because he wasn't much better in the Dauphine last year before having his best Grand Tour. But to me it looks to be downhill from here. While he's in 3rd, I'm basically already writing him off for the podium.
He's going to crack tomorrow, and win a stage later in the TDF, and finish top 15 in GC.
 
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Jul 16, 2024
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Trouble is he will never beat Vingegaard or Pogacar, so you do have to question whether the GT focus makes that much sense...

Doesn't make much sense for anybody not named Pogacar if you view it in that context. He could probably contend for a GT they are not present for so why not just dodge them? Everyone relevant should dodge Pogacar.
 
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Maybe. I don't really get 2023 Vuelta vibes though. And there's like 2 good breakaway opportunities for a guy like him.
In the 2023 Vuelta he showed before the crack that he could win a Mountain top finish, nothing to suggest that so far this Tour. But even without the best climbing leg he could win both stage 16 and 20 from a break if he loses 15-20 minutes on purpose tomorrow.
 
He needs to change something radically to come out of this GT rut he has been in. The guy is phenomenally good and it is not coming out in GT’s. Like many have hinted before me, I think the change that he needs will come with the change of teams. Everything gets a fresh start and it could be make the positive difference for the rest of his career. At Quickstep I am afraid he will stay in the rut. I don’t see him changing his direction and focus only on classics. He has the right ingredients for GT’s but lacks the team and the consistency. Of course the effect of the bad luck he has had has not helped at all. Still the change of teams will be the crucial step in his career he needs. He has to leave the QS nest he grew up in and challenge himself in a new environment with new teammates and new staff.
changing teams will make no difference as long as he keeps crashing and having mishaps. He's just not able to improve as long as he has to recuperate from crashing. It's like Logic is you friend said and also that Marx guy. Lomardia, Itzulia, and the Car door accident have taken its toll...he has come back from each one but it has impeded his natural progress. Go Remco Go!
 
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Losing time on purpose would be terribly stupid, for the following reasons:

  • He's third with only eight days to go. It's too late to change his strategy.
  • Even if he loses a chunk of time, he can still finish between fourth and tenth. You don't just throw away a top 10 place. Otherwise fewer than ten riders would be riding for the top 10, which would be ridiculous.
  • Other riders can get a bad day in the third week.
  • Losing time doesn't guarantee to win a stage later.
  • He's already got a stage win.

He'll just have to hang on and fight to limit the damage. Hopefully the Tourmalet will be taken quietly by the GC riders, otherwise it will be a tough day. If he gets through today without too much time loss, a decent place of honor remains possible. Finishing seventh with a stage win would be nothing to be ashamed of.

So why is he having difficulties? The autumn crash is one part of the explanation. Another problem is that he hasn't been reconnoitering the mountain stages. Computer simulations aren't the same as actually being there. Next year he'll need a different preparation if he wants to improve his GC chances.