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

[Cookster15]

Well, this is obvious: body fat mass. But when it comes to sportsmen in top form BMI vs VO2max relation is more complicated as they all have low body fat %. Then it's about other aspects (like bone mass, muscles efficiency, cardiac output etc), some of them are associated with BMI some are not.

Thanks for the follow up. But this raises more questions. I always thought Remco's relative VO2 max (milliliters per Kilogram per minute) was extremely high - close to 90?

Since the 2022 Vuelta Remco seemed to have very low body fat % and that would help his relative VO2 max as well.

So I am still not convinced of BMI as being a better indicator of climbing than simply watts per kilo. I think BMI is just an assumed truth in cycling circles. A rider who is shorter but stockier can have similarly low bodyfat % as riders like Vingegaard. As I said at the beginning, the physics of climbing doesn't care about appearance. It only cares about sustained watts per kilo.

But ultimately we are all guessing. We don't know Remco's true watts and we don't know his true weight. But I do know he was climbing very well in the 2024 Tour de France.

 

[Berniece]

He won't have an excuse this season unless the blind faithful conjure up a defense.

Yeah, such a weak excuse that he crashed in december, and didn't build up a proper base.

 

[AmRacer]

Yeah, such a weak excuse that he crashed in december, and didn't build up a proper base.

Better crashing hard in April

 

[SHAD0W93]

Cause Pogacar does not need tactics. He's that strong. Has great bike handling/positioning and has that strong of a team to back him up as well.

Also even Pogacar has had a few (tactical) mistakes, and they tend to happen when he was not sure he was stronger than the rest. Tdf 22, Paris Roubaix, WC 22 come to mind.

I’d argue Pogacar’s mistake was believing he was stronger than Jumbo especially with his showboating during the stage he got one two TKO punched.


On Evenepoel I think he should do the Giro or Tour as support and go for stages depending on what they decide. Hopefully he has a good winter and we can see him improve at Bora.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So I am still not convinced of BMI as being a better indicator of climbing than simply watts per kilo. I think BMI is just an assumed truth in cycling circles. A rider who is shorter but stockier can have similarly low bodyfat % as riders like Vingegaard. As I said at the beginning, the physics of climbing doesn't care about appearance. It only cares about sustained watts per kilo.

I never implied it. You misunderstood me. Obviously w/kg is a direct measure of power per mass and climbing ability. My point was to explain why there's an inverse relation between BMI and relative VO2max and therefore, why the best climbers are usually cyclists with very low BMI. Obviously it case of top sportsmen it's more blurred (as all of them have very low fat mass and low BMI). So, besides BMI related factors (bone and fat mass, height-related stuff) there are others non-related to BMI (like muscles composition, metabolism) which strongly affect VO2max (and therefore w/kg).

As for Remco's VO2max, it could be around 90 (when he's closer to 60 kg, not to 65 kg).

 

[peterfin]

I never implied it. You misunderstood me. Obviously w/kg is a direct measure of power per mass and climbing ability. My point was to explain why there's an inverse relation between BMI and relative VO2max and therefore, why the best climbers are usually cyclists with very low BMI. Obviously it case of top sportsmen it's more blurred (as all of them have very low fat mass and low BMI). So, besides BMI related factors (bone and fat mass, height-related stuff) there are others non-related to BMI (like muscles composition, metabolism) which strongly affect VO2max (and therefore w/kg).

As for Remco's VO2max, it could be around 90 (when he's closer to 60 kg, not to 65 kg).

Prior to his 19th birthday (and prior to turning pro) his VO2max was measured at 85. An article mentioned he weighted 61 kg at that time but his weight measurements are always been all over the place so it was likely a few kg more if you see pictures of him then vs now. So better training and a lower fat % has probably increased it to about 90. That looks like a reasonable number.

 

[Berniece]

What I think was most important in that latest interview with Evenpoel was the following section. Basically confirming what some of us in this thread were also saying. At least he ha the same hope as the fans in this thread, that he will still be able to actually compete with Pogacar.

Especially uphill, you seem to be fighting an unequal battle against Pogacar. It’s admirable that you don’t give up. But how on earth do you ever close that gap?
Evenepoel: “Through specific training sessions at extremely high intensity. In recent years, because of crashes, injuries, rehabilitation and a lack of a solid base, I’ve barely been able to do those, rarely or never. After a proper, trouble-free winter, I really want to put serious work into that now. If I manage that, it’s quite possible I’ll take two or even three steps forward compared to last season.”

 

[AmRacer]

What I think was most important in that latest interview with Evenpoel was the following section. Basically confirming what some of us in this thread were also saying. At least he ha the same hope as the fans in this thread, that he will still be able to actually compete with Pogacar.

If he takes two or three steps forward compared to 2025 season, maybe he reach Paris.

 

[Red Rick]

New theory just dropped. 3 time World ITT champion hasn't done high intensity training for years.