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

[Krzysztof_O]

My second point was that Evenepoel of 2022 and 2023 would still have been able to win LBL against Pogacar in those years. It's clear his fans are suffering from early dementia as they have forgotten that back then, Pog did not win his classics by dominating but by finishing in a small group, if he even won them. While back then Evenepoel already was winning his classics, by dominating/solos. See 2019 Classica (where Pogacar couldn't follow the pace, just 3 weeks before the Vuelta he podiumed) and 2022, Liège '22 and '23, where Pogacar finished in groups with Gaudu and Mohoric the years prior. While Pogacar won Lombardia in '21 by beating Masnada in a sprint and in '22 by beating Mas in a sprint. The Pog in classics before and after 2023 are worlds apart.

As I already agreed, the gap between them in classics increased indeed, Pogacar became better there circa 2 years ago. It's also true that a cyclist improving at the age of 23-25 isn't necessarily that shocking (even besides clinical aspects). Maybe Evenepoel can still improve and match Pogacar in classics, who knows.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Remco is really unfortunate that he's not riding against Merckx. He would have crushed it in the 70s with the numbers he puts out today.

Also Gaudu has been a fine rider at certain points of his career. There's no reason to diss him.

 

[Berniece]

As I already said, the gap between them in classics increased indeed, Pogacar became better there circa 2 years ago. It's also true that a cyclist improving at the age of 23-25 isn't necessarily that shocking (even besides clinical aspects). Maybe Evenepoel can still improve and match Pogacar in classics, who knows.

It's just weird that die hard Pogacar fans (not you) can't fathom that they were much closer before 2024, and Evenepoel could've even won monuments against him. Pogacar was never as dominant as he was now before 2024. That doesn't discredit his current performances or his palmares. This obsessive need to make sure everyone needs to get on their knees is cult-like.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I think we can all agree on that we should not be surprised if we're having another debate about a certain topic in a couple of years, and wonder which cyclist benefited more. After all it's not cause they used the same training methods, that they all enjoyed the same benefits.

In any case recency bias is real. Last 2 years Pogacar been on another planet. But it was not so long ago that Vingegaard was starting to be considered the greater GT racer. And that Pogacar was not untouchable everywhere. Evenepoel did beat him on several occasions prior to the latter half of 2023. It's only after that timeframe things became very one-sided. When Pogacar took his great leap forward at the age of 25.

Pogacar is currently near untouchable, and already the 2nd greatest. No debate there. But there is difference between Pogacar before, and after a certain time/date.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Also Gaudu has been a fine rider at certain points of his career. There's no reason to diss him.

That was his single best 250+km result in his career. Would you have expected him to follow Evenepoel in LBL '22 and '23? Or Pogacar this sunday and the one before? Surely not.
And it's not just Gaudu. Mohoric was also there. In '22 Mohoric was chasing Evenepoel and completely blew up.

Also look at the time differences in those editions with Pogacar. In 2020 there were 31 riders within 1 minute. In 2021 there were 18 riders within 40 seconds. Then the years Evenepoel won, in 2022 there were 14 riders within 1 minute, the closest at 48 seconds. In 2023 there was nobody within 1 minute of Evenepoel, closest was Pidcock at 1:08. So stating that Evenepoel won because Pogacar wasn't there in 2022 /23 is a load of crock. Pog prior to 2024 was beatable.

 

[Rou]

Pog prior to 2024 was beatable.

I'm a Pog fan and I agree with your take.
Evenepoel can make a leap in performance next year if the Redbull program fits him.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

We found him! We found the sane one!

 

[bNator]

Pogacar at 2023 level would've finished with Seixas in UEC

Are we talking about the same Pog who won Flanders, SB and Lombardia in a manner that he did?

 

[Berniece]

Are we talking about the same Pog who won Flanders, SB and Lombardia in a manner that he did?

Yes, but in the current peloton. Not in the peloton of 2023 of course. How much time do you think Pogacar '25 would've finished before Pogacar '23, in the UEC RR?

Because in 2023 Pogacar finished 1min ahead of Bagioli in Lombardia '23. Also small side note, Pogacar didn't win SB in 2023.

 

[Peyroteo94]

That was his single best 250+km result in his career. Would you have expected him to follow Evenepoel in LBL '22 and '23? Or Pogacar this sunday and the one before? Surely not.
And it's not just Gaudu. Mohoric was also there. In '22 Mohoric was chasing Evenepoel and completely blew up.

Also look at the time differences in those editions with Pogacar. In 2020 there were 31 riders within 1 minute. In 2021 there were 18 riders within 40 seconds. Then the years Evenepoel won, in 2022 there were 14 riders within 1 minute, the closest at 48 seconds. In 2023 there was nobody within 1 minute of Evenepoel, closest was Pidcock at 1:08. So stating that Evenepoel won because Pogacar wasn't there in 2022 /23 is a load of crock. Pog prior to 2024 was beatable.

I'm a Pog fan and I agree with your take.
Evenepoel can make a leap in performance next year if the Redbull program fits him.

But who told Pogacar wasn't beatable in 2023? This doesn't mean Remco would win 2 LBL, most likely he would not because Pogacar was still better despite the gap being much smaller indeed.
What is funny is mentioning CSS so many times when Pogacar never showed a good level right after the Tour (not even in Glasgow IMO) but "despises" everyone who says Pogacar was better than Remco in 2025 Ardennes, mentioning Remco wasn't at his best. So to fit his narrative, he uses CSS as an example of Remco beating Pogacar, ignoring Pogacar's shape but the opposite he does the opposite.

One week ago, a guy here was saying Pogacar and Remco are equal in classics (unfortunately I have to unignore him here and there since he is always creating threads) and now he is saying Remco was as good as Pogacar in the past since he is absolutely disappointed Remco failed to him once again and can't be close to Pogacar.
Like @AlpRaid said, it's always the same and only guy making these posts constantly (again, it wasn't me who said this).
Unfortunately can't say more to not risk a ban.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

But who told Pogacar wasn't beatable in 2023? This doesn't mean Remco would win 2 LBL, most likely he would not because Pogacar was still better despite the gap being much smaller indeed.
What is funny is mentioning CSS so many times when Pogacar never showed a good level right after the Tour (not even in Glasgow IMO) but "despises" everyone who says Pogacar was better than Remco in 2025 Ardennes, mentioning Remco wasn't at his best. So to fit his narrative, he uses CSS as an example of Remco beating Pogacar, ignoring Pogacar's shape but the opposite he does the opposite.

One week ago, a guy here was saying Pogacar and Remco are equal in classics (unfortunately I have to unignore him here and there since he is always creating threads) and now he is saying Remco was as good as Pogacar in the past since he is absolutely disappointed Remco failed to him once again and can be close to Pogacar.
Like @AlpRaid said, it's always the same and only guy making these posts constantly (again, it wasn't me who said this).
Unfortunately can't say more to not risk a ban.

Remco in 2022 obliterated the field in Liège, in San Sebastian and in Wollongong in a fashion that Pogacar HAD NOT YET WON ANY CLASSIC AT THAT TIME. In 2021 he won Liège and Lombardia in a sprint. In 2022 he won Lombardia in a sprint...

Pogacar in CSS 2019 was in his last weeks of preparation towards the Vuelta where he would finish on the podium. He did not come from the Tour de France fatigued because he did not ride the TDF in 2019. There was an interview with Pogacar after his Vuelta podium, where he said the most impressive thing he saw that year was Evenepoel winning CSS, because he was there and he knew how hard it was.

 

[AmRacer]

I win!

Nope

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Nope

Silly man. I always win.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Remco in 2022 obliterated the field in Liège, in San Sebastian and in Wollongong in a fashion that Pogacar HAD NOT YET WON ANY CLASSIC AT THAT TIME. In 2021 he won Liège and Lombardia in a sprint. In 2022 he won Lombardia in a sprint...

Pogacar in CSS 2019 was in his last weeks of preparation towards the Vuelta where he would finish on the podium. He did not come from the Tour the France fatigued because he did not ride the TDF in 2019. There was an interview with Pogacar after his Vuelta podium, where he said the most impressive thing he saw that year was Evenepoel winning CSS, because he was there and he knew how hard it was.

Remco when rides/rode for Belgium, he is lucky to have WVA who can slow down the peloton when he launches those sneaky attacks. 2022 WC and 2024 Olympics are a prime example of that.
But since we were talking about 2022 and 2023 LBL, Remco dropped everyone off his wheel on La Redoute (Pidcock a few kms later), the question we should be asking is: "Could Remco do the same against Pogacar? Could he drop Pogacar off his wheel in La Redoute in 2022 and 2023 LBL?"
My answer is a big fat no and I'm pretty sure the large majority of this forum thinks the same. Maybe you think he would but I never saw Pogacar on the wheel of Remco and being dropped by sheer power (not by those sneaky attacks) never.
So the question I make to you is: Do you think Remco could drop Pogacar in La Redoute?

 

[pupupi]

Let’s just let them hold on to the Pogacar of the past

 

[Salvarani]

Are we talking about the same Pog who won Flanders, SB and Lombardia in a manner that he did?

This doesnt matter obviously

 

[AmRacer]

Silly man. I always win.

Nope.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Remco when rides/rode for Belgium, he is lucky to have WVA who can slow down the peloton when he launches those sneaky attacks. 2022 WC and 2024 Olympics are a prime example of that.
But since we were talking about 2022 and 2023 LBL, Remco dropped everyone off his wheel on La Redoute (Pidcock a few kms later), the question we should be asking is: "Could Remco do the same against Pogacar? Could he drop Pogacar off his wheel in La Redoute in 2022 and 2023 LBL?"
My answer is a big fat no and I'm pretty sure the large majority of this forum thinks the same. Maybe you think so but I never saw Pogacar on the wheel of Remco and being dropped by sheer power (not by those sneaky attacks) never.
So the question I make to you is: Do you think Remco could drop Pogacar in La Redoute?

Considering Pogacar in 2022 couldn't drop Mas, I'm sure he wouldn't have dropped Evenepoel. And even if Evenepoel wouldn't have been able to drop Pogacar on La Redoute, he could very well have cooked him on the flat after and drop him on Roche aux Faucons.

 

[Berniece]

One week ago, a guy here was saying Pogacar and Remco are equal in classics (unfortunately I have to unignore him here and there since he is always creating threads)

You are welcome I guess... I'll stop contributing to the forum in a meaningful way, so Pogacar fans can keep me on their ignore list. Because apparently that's more important.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Considering Pogacar in 2022 couldn't drop Mas, I'm sure he wouldn't have dropped Evenepoel. And even if Evenepoel wouldn't have been able to drop Pogacar on La Redoute, he could very well have cooked him on the flat after and drop him on Roche aux Faucons.

AHAHAHAHAH, this myth never dies. Where did this BS come from? This thing about Remco being able to cook Pogacar on the flat? Or are you assuming he can cook Pogacar on the flat because he can do the same against Madouas, Lutsenko, etc? Are you really comparing Pogacar with other riders Remco could cook on the flat?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

AHAHAHAHAH, this myth never dies. Where did this BS come from? This thing about Remco being able to cook Pogacar on the flat? Or are you assuming he can cook Pogacar on the flat because he can do the same against Madouas, Lutsenko, etc? Are you really comparing Pogacar with other riders Remco could cook on the flat?

HAHAHAHA, YOU ARE STILL SO DELUSIONAL TO THINK POGI IN 2022-2023 WAS SOME BEAST ON THE FLAT. HAHAHAHA. Must be why Healy was reeling him in at Amstel until he got help from the organizer. And why broken Roglic cooked him in the valley.

 

[Berniece]

AHAHAHAHAH, this myth never dies. Where did this BS come from? This thing about Remco being able to cook Pogacar on the flat? Or are you assuming he can cook Pogacar on the flat because he can do the same against Madouas, Lutsenko, etc? Are you really comparing Pogacar with other riders Remco could cook on the flat?

Literally cooked him in AGR this year. Pogacar barely took a turn, and had to sit in the wheel because he was so cooked.

 

[Salvarani]

Literally cooked him in AGR this year. Pogacar barely took a turn, and had to sit in the wheel because he was so cooked.

Pog had just raced PR.

Remco has been cooked on the flat in Lombardia, LBL, WC and EC.

4-1

 

[Peyroteo94]

HAHAHAHA, YOU ARE STILL SO DELUSIONAL TO THINK POGI IN 2022-2023 WAS SOME BEAST ON THE FLAT. HAHAHAHA. Must be why Healy was reeling him in at Amstel until he got help from the organizer. And why broken Roglic cooked him in the valley.

And you really think that? Wow, I'm impressed. You should change your username after this.
Let's agree to disagree. But it's good to know you think Remco would cook Pogacar on the flat and would drop Pogacar on RaF. This is probably one of the wildest takes I ever read on this forum. Eheheh, cheers mate.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And you really think that? Wow, I'm impressed. You should change your username after this.
Let's agree to disagree. But it's good to know you think Remco would cook Pogacar on the flat and would drop Pogacar on RaF. This is probably one of the wildest takes I ever read on this forum. Eheheh, cheers mate.

Beh bye.