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

[Extinction]

I don’t like or dislike him, same as all of the current top riders.
What I and others don’t like is his fans and maybe him as well cant seem to accept where his level is and come up with reasons for him supposedly underperforming.
This doesn’t seem to happen with anyone else in the peloton to the same extent
He comes from a privileged sporting background, from cycling royalty stock in fact, that’s what makes this stuff even worse.

Remco has evidently been mentally broken since the Dauphine, with the December crash having conditioned the whole season so far (it was four months without proper training). It seems fairly clear now that, despite what he may or may not be able to achieve, either a new environment is needed on a mega-funded team (because, agree or not, that's what wins the Tour these days) or change ambitions.

 

[AdonisP91]

What’s funny are the comments saying you must secretly dislike him anytime something negative is mentioned. There is a difference between blind worship and love. If you truly love someone you see and recognize their flaws but still like them despite those flaws. Remco fans too often fall into the blind worship category.

I love Remco, I think he is an exceptional rider that is super fun to watch race and amazing to hear interviews with due to his unfiltered wit and honesty, but I don’t think he has the grit to win the tour, nor the climbing legs. Set aside Tadej and Jonas there is too much competition coming up: Del Toro, Lipowitz, etc.

Maybe if the organizers brought in more and longer TT’s and Team TT’s but not with the current parcours for Remco. And I don’t care if he won the Vuelta, the Tour isn’t the Vuelta.

 

[Berniece]

What’s funny are the comments saying you must secretly dislike him anytime something negative is mentioned. There is a difference between blind worship and love. If you truly love someone you see and recognize their flaws but still like them despite those flaws. Remco fans too often fall into the blind worship category.

I love Remco, I think he is an exceptional rider that is super fun to watch race and amazing to hear interviews with due to his unfiltered wit and honesty, but I don’t think he has the grit to win the tour, nor the climbing legs. Set aside Tadej and Jonas there is too much competition coming up: Del Toro, Lipowitz, etc.

Maybe if the organizers brought in more and longer TT’s and Team TT’s but not with the current parcours for Remco. And I don’t care if he won the Vuelta, the Tour isn’t the Vuelta.

Who are these people that are saying he is winning the TDF?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Who are these people that are saying he is winning the TDF?

Are you joking? I can't even know how many times you said Remco is a future TdF winner.
He is not saying this year, he is saying he will never win the Tour.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

What’s funny are the comments saying you must secretly dislike him anytime something negative is mentioned. There is a difference between blind worship and love. If you truly love someone you see and recognize their flaws but still like them despite those flaws. Remco fans too often fall into the blind worship category.

I love Remco, I think he is an exceptional rider that is super fun to watch race and amazing to hear interviews with due to his unfiltered wit and honesty, but I don’t think he has the grit to win the tour, nor the climbing legs. Set aside Tadej and Jonas there is too much competition coming up: Del Toro, Lipowitz, etc.

Maybe if the organizers brought in more and longer TT’s and Team TT’s but not with the current parcours for Remco. And I don’t care if he won the Vuelta, the Tour isn’t the Vuelta.

You must be... new. Oh.

Some of his biggest fans, are his most fierce critics. So your claim holds little water.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

He comes from a privileged sporting background, from cycling royalty stock in fact, that’s what makes this stuff even worse.

His father had precisely one win, and only 4 years of a pro career, his cousin peaked at 96th in the Sint Martinusprijs Kontich.

It's not really cycling royalty, is it?

 

[Berniece]

From cycling royalty stock in fact

Do you think Evenepoel and Van der poel are the same person?

 

[Charlyghoul]

Do you think Evenepoel and Van der poel are the same person?

No Remco just comes from a more privileged background than most and he is immensely talented, there should no excuses from him about injuries or from his fans. I mean he says he can’t train a single day properly, it’s nonsense. This thread is titled he is the next Eddy Merckx, Merckx dominated despite a career altering crash, have to adjust his bike all the time to try and comfortable, but just got on with it. Hopefully Remco can do the same the rest of his career

 

[Charlyghoul]

😂 😂 😂

Look, some of your comments about some of the more ludicrous defenses of Remco aren't far off. Blaming the team for him riding into a ravine was particular gold. But...come on.

Hate on him all you want, but at least have the...how might Remco say it...balls...to own it... 😜

I just don’t like the excuses, just get on with bike racing, he was still third this year, still is having a good enough year, could still be a great year, who knows by November.

 

[Berniece]

I just don’t like the excuses, just get on with bike racing, he was still third this year, still is having a good enough year, could still be a great year, who knows by November.

He is getting on with it, just not during the TDF. It’s not like he’s retiring.

 

[Berniece]

You’d like me to say Remco is a glorified rouleur/ failed footballer, Pogacar wasn’t his usual dominant self today, perhaps he should quit tomorrow and take his mechanic for a bargain bucket, after all KFC is the connoisseur’s fast food, for a real grand tour contender. McDonald’s is for the Russell Downings and Remcos of this world.
But I won’t.

Was Pogacar dropped by 80 riders in the peloton? Must have missed that

 

[Charlyghoul]

He is getting on with it, just not during the TDF. It’s not like he’s retiring.

So what do you think he should target ? I think a giro is realistic l/ a good target for him

 

[Berniece]

So what do you think he should target ? I think a giro is realistic l/ a good target for him

This year WC.
Next year I don’t know yet. Thinking about it while writing this but not sure if I would prefer him to do Giro+Vuelta or Giro+TDF

 

[Charlyghoul]

This year WC.
Next year I don’t know yet. Thinking about it while writing this but not sure if I would prefer him to do Giro+Vuelta or Giro+TDF

I think giro and vuelta is a good choice for him, get his confidence, grand tour legs back, also an easier schedule, and go for tour the year after.

 

[AlpRaid]

The obsession with 100km of ITT in the Tour parcours when he has far bigger issues I'll never get.

fair to read it that way.

I don't think anyone is thinking this would make the difference for remco to win or not.

but had there been a flatish TT instead of the MTT, would that not have made GC in general more fun and more balanced (I'm talking top ten).

if GT racing is reduced to watts/kg on a final climb (whether during a stage or with an MTT) it makes it VERY boring. Because you simply rinse and repeat. Again. And again.

For me at least, it is not about letting "Cancellera" win a GT. It's more about just providing racing variety to the unbelievable boredom and repetition of a simple watts/kg battle on a climb.

 

[Red Rick]

fair to read it that way.

I don't think anyone is thinking this would make the difference for remco to win or not.

but had there been a flatish TT instead of the MTT, would that not have made GC in general more fun and more balanced (I'm talking top ten).

if GT racing is reduced to watts/kg on a final climb (whether during a stage or with an MTT) it makes it VERY boring. Because you simply rinse and repeat. Again. And again.

For me at least, it is not about letting "Cancellera" win a GT. It's more about just providing racing variety to the unbelievable boredom and repetition of a simple watts/kg battle on a climb.

That's fair. I don't mind the MTT, but I don't love them either. But I generally care more about the mountain stage designs, and these are 5 big mountain stages all about that MTF.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I don't really get why people argue over this guy so much.
He's clearly an amazing tt specialist. He has never shown anything to suggest he can challenge an in form Pogi or Vinge in a GT but he has also struggled with tons of long term injuries in his career. Get a really solid winter without any issues and a new team and fight for a tour podium in 26 and maybe start to try and win some 1 week stage races and win another classic or 2 as well.

Any self respecting sponsor would take a tour podium with a couple of stages wins over a giro and he's clearly capable of podiuming since he has already done so so why stop now.

Messing with other races should only happen if he's either clearly weaker than a team mate (Lipo?) or repeatedly completely fail at his tour ambitions for the next 2 or maybe 3 years.

 

[Charlyghoul]

fair to read it that way.

I don't think anyone is thinking this would make the difference for remco to win or not.

but had there been a flatish TT instead of the MTT, would that not have made GC in general more fun and more balanced (I'm talking top ten).

if GT racing is reduced to watts/kg on a final climb (whether during a stage or with an MTT) it makes it VERY boring. Because you simply rinse and repeat. Again. And again.

For me at least, it is not about letting "Cancellera" win a GT. It's more about just providing racing variety to the unbelievable boredom and repetition of a simple watts/kg battle on a climb.

I understand your point but for me, the tour is mostly won or lost in the mountains, and should pretty much always be that way. In fact I think the tours now are much better without the sky/us postal trains making the mountains boring. Even Indurain could climb with the best, he just wasn’t spectacular/ punchy climber.
Mountain tt’s are not that common, but have been an important part of the tour for a long time. And there was already a flattish tt, which Remco won.

 

[Charlyghoul]

I don't really get why people argue over this guy so much.
He's clearly an amazing tt specialist. He has never shown anything to suggest he can challenge an in form Pogi or Vinge in a GT but he has also struggled with tons of long term injuries in his career. Get a really solid winter without any issues and a new team and fight for a tour podium in 26 and maybe start to try and win some 1 week stage races and win another classic or 2 as well.

Any self respecting sponsor would take a tour podium with a couple of stages wins over a giro and he's clearly capable of podiuming since he has already done so so why stop now.

Messing with other races should only happen if he's either clearly weaker than a team mate (Lipo?) or repeatedly completely fail at his tour ambitions for the next 2 or maybe 3 years.

I don’t think he has any interest in fighting for a podium at the tour that’s the issue.

 

[theyoungest]

u must be a recent fan if you think it's only about the mountains. you clearly have no understanding of TDF history and the "race of truth" and why it is called the race of truth.

and the fact that you use indurain of all people as an example just shows how ignorant your knowledge of cycling is.

Very best to you and your trolling!

What would be the difference if there's 100 km of flat TT? Let me remind you Pogacar finished on just 16 seconds after 30 flattish kilometers. But even if he'd lose 5 minutes in the TT, he'll easily regain that in the mountains on a guy like Evenepoel. He'd just have to ride even more dominantly and try to win even more stages than he already does. Making the race even more boring.

 

[Extinction]

That Remco lit the flames of passion was a given, given the title of this thread, but anyone with a head on their shoulders has reserved a critical mind towards him. I don't think the accolades levied upon him denies that. His temperment at times has been called into question, his bike handling as well. The crashes and the way they were managed undoubtedly added to his problems. Yet he came third in his first Tour and you don't do that if you aren't an outstanding climber. Of course, there were two much better, but given Belgium's hopes and an underprepared and underfunded team the outcomes were destined to fall short of the cosmic expectations with the actual level of all involved. Too many ups and downs on a kids shoulders and inevitably something breaks. Something has broken, so now it's time to rehabilitate the person, which may or not involve a new environment. One thing is for sure, he needs to pull the plug, reboot and move forward focussing on a mens sana in corpora sana. Otherwise, he'll never get the best out of himself in the Tour. Surely getting dropped on the first climb of this Tour is not his real level. How this is to be done, I don't know, only that it must be done for him not to become a victim of the expectations placed upon him. It would be a shame for the sport if it sees one of his talent drop into early retirement.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1947670246950899888

View: https://x.com/Cycling_Memes1/status/1947670246950899888

 

[KoopaCycling]

What would be the difference if there's 100 km of flat TT? Let me remind you Pogacar finished on just 16 seconds after 30 flattish kilometers. But even if he'd lose 5 minutes in the TT, he'll easily regain that in the mountains on a guy like Evenepoel. He'd just have to ride even more dominantly and try to win even more stages than he already does. Making the race even more boring.

You need to be good at both obviously. I think Remco can beat anyone not named Pogacar and Vingegaard.
Sure Roglic, Lipo, ... can make it a battle. But i'm confident he can beat them when in form.

I disagree with the weird notion Remco is not a GT guy and a terrible climber just cause he isn't as good as Vingegaard and Pogacar. last i checked Lipo, who is sitting third is already on 9 minutes with the 2 hardest stages still to come, and losing time on Pogacar and Vingegaard every big mountain stage. No one is saying weird stuff like Lipo and Roglic can't climb. Remco can climb, is a GT guy, but isn't as good as Vingegaard and Pogacar.

Some people suggest that if Remco hadn't crashed he could have taken those extra steps to reach Pogacar and Vingegaard. And that he needs to stay healty for a prolonged period of time to reach that level. Now i do think Remco can still improve but i don't think he'll ever be as good as Pogacar (and possible Vingegaard) in the mountains. That's okay. He won the Vuelta in the TT. Whilst more or less equalling the field in the mountains. And it remains to be seen if Pogacar can maintain his current level. a Level i find beyond what i think humans are capable of. I'll leave that as is. As saying more is frowned upon.

Remco needs to get healthy, build a base, and then compete. And once he is healthy we'll see were the chips fall. See what stuff he loses and wins through competition.

 

[Charlyghoul]

You need to be good at both obviously. I think Remco can beat anyone not named Pogacar and Vingegaard.
Sure Roglic, Lipo, ... can make it a battle. But i'm confident he can beat them when in form.

I disagree with the weird notion Remco is not a GT guy and a terrible climber just cause he isn't as good as Vingegaard and Pogacar. last i checked Lipo, who is sitting third is already on 9 minutes with the 2 hardest stages still to come, and losing time on Pogacar and Vingegaard every big mountain stage. No one is saying weird stuff like Lipo and Roglic can't climb. Remco can climb, is a GT guy, but isn't as good as Vingegaard and Pogacar.

Some people suggest that if Remco hadn't crashed he could have taken those extra steps to reach Pogacar and Vingegaard. And that he needs to stay healty for a prolonged period of time to reach that level. Now i do think Remco can still improve but i don't think he'll ever be as good as Pogacar (and possible Vingegaard in the mountains). That's okay. He won the Vuelta in the TT. And it remains to be seen if Pogacar can maintain his current level. a Level i find beyond what i think humans are capable of. I'll leave that as is. As saying more is frowned upon.

Remco needs to get healthy, build a base, and then compete. And once he is healthy we'll see were the chips fall. See what stuff he loses and wins through competition.

He can indeed beat anyone else, just not prepared to fight for his third place it seems.

 

[houtdffan]

What would be the difference if there's 100 km of flat TT? Let me remind you Pogacar finished on just 16 seconds after 30 flattish kilometers. But even if he'd lose 5 minutes in the TT, he'll easily regain that in the mountains on a guy like Evenepoel. He'd just have to ride even more dominantly and try to win even more stages than he already does. Making the race even more boring.

Or, Pog may decide to show up 1-2kg heavier to limit his TT losses, which would reduce his effectiveness in the mountains.

The old trade off we used ot see