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

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Wasn’t able to watch the race live, but just rewatched the last 2.5km’s. The race was not hard enough and Evenepoel could really use a better team here. Van Wilder was great, but it would help a lot if they would have 4 riders that could go all out from the foot of the climb to drop most riders, and get the others out of breath so Evenepoel can attack without others being able to follow so easily.
 
Wasn’t able to watch the race live, but just rewatched the last 2.5km’s. The race was not hard enough and Evenepoel could really use a better team here. Van Wilder was great, but it would help a lot if they would have 4 riders that could go all out from the foot of the climb to drop most riders, and get the others out of breath so Evenepoel can attack without others being able to follow so easily.
Or better tactics. Van Wilder is in decent form and could contend here, and he would get more room from other teams than Evenepoel. But somehow it is inconceivable that he would be sent up the road with a few others and go for it himself, while Evenepoel can stay back until the others play their hand. This is the 3rd 4th (!) season they are racing together and not once have they tried that. Either Van Wilder can chase the win, or if he finds he isn't strong enough, drop back and/or wait for Evenepoel to bridge. No, the tactical arsenal of Lodewyck consists of all the following "lead out Evenepoel", "lead out Evenepoel" and "lead out Evenepoel".
 
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I also hoped he'd be a bit better already but it's not that bad either. He's definitely a whole lot better than last year at the Tour of Britain and then he still won WC ITT and came 5th at the Road Race.

I remain hopeful that he'll be able to hit top form (or at least something close to it) at the Worlds.
Last year, he had a better foundation to build at. This year, he DNF the Tour.
 
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I also hoped he'd be a bit better already but it's not that bad either. He's definitely a whole lot better than last year at the Tour of Britain and then he still won WC ITT and came 5th at the Road Race.

I remain hopeful that he'll be able to hit top form (or at least something close to it) at the Worlds.
Not sure how he could’ve showed to be much better. Everyone is stuck on his wheel and the stage was not difficult besides that short climb.
 
seems he tried but not able to get it over the line. again, i'm thinking if he has a proper train, he'll at least be able to sprint for the victory in a reduced bunch. he has a chance then, not against someone like Kooij. At least that is what i got from the live tracker.
 
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Evenepoel and his DS Lodewyck explained what the plan is for the following weeks to get him ready for the WC.

Intensive training sessions in Spain combined with heath and altitude stimuli. He's leaving for the WC in Rwanda as late as possible. So probably the Thursday or Friday before the ITT I guess.
 
Interview Koen Pelgrim, the performance coach of Evenepoel in HLN.
  • He'll be training in the heat in Calpe, and sleeping in altitude chamber at his home.
  • Feeling at training camp Livigno was better than before Dauphine/TDF. He could recover properly from sessions and didn't have to build in as much rest.
  • Values in Tour of Britain were good, and he was riding with a surplus of energy
  • They didn't want to do Canada due to 2 long flights and 2 jetlags
  • He's weighing more than at the TDF. He's at his Ardennes classics weight.
  • He lands in Kigali on Thursday 18th of September. 3 days before the WC ITT.
  • Pogacar is his biggest opponent for the WC ITT on a course like this
 
Yeah, if Pog is near his top form it should be interesting. His best chance so far at WC TT.
Traditionally, the TT has been 4 days before the RR, and it's been too close to really peak for both, especially if the TT had been very long.

Now it should be more doable, but with the difficulty of the road race, Pogacar may have done less work on the FTP for the ITT.

If Pogacar does one of his best TTs, it's not interesting, because he wins it easily
 
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I think they expect it's more important to be more explosive, since the climbs are quite short
With this accumulation you need to be light.

Most likely they simply prioritized power first because it's the healthier and more secure thing to do, especially if he struggles with keeping his weight down for longer periods of time.

But I don't think it bodes well for his ITT at all.