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

[James M]

That’s not necessarily true, otherwise Pogacar wouldn’t have done that in 2024.

Hate to break it to you, but Remco isn’t even in the same galaxy as Pogacar in GT's that much is beyond obvious.

He is currently battling the likes of Almeida and Lipowitz. So if Pogi did something in 24, it doesn’t mean its a real argument for others when he obvious is the outlier not the norm.

 

[Berniece]

He is currently battling the likes of Almeida and Lipowitz.

Hate to break it to you, but 2024 showed that’s not the case

 

[vappaxbipmv]

That’s not necessarily true, otherwise Pogacar wouldn’t have done that in 2024, and possibly Vingegaard in 2026

Pogacar could have won the Giro with the competition he had there at 80%, he was nowhere near 100%. Remco would have to be close to 100% (Almeida or Del Toro will certainly be there), maybe even that won't be enough if Jonas goes. Nobody does Giro-Tour double with an expectation to ride both for GC and be 100% in both. You'll be less than perfect in one of them

 

[James M]

Hate to break it to you, but 2024 showed that’s not the case

Citing Pogacar as an example in relation to Remco in GT or the Giro after this year and every year which you do all the time when its not an ounce of reality in it, its a joke and simply impossible to take seriously.

Its like saying well yeah Pogacar proved you can easily win the Tour and compete vs MvdP in Robauix as a real argument and throw Almeida or whoever top GT name in there with serious expectations to podium PR next year. 'Cause Pogacar proved it'. How is that serious.

 

[James M]

Citing Jonas in comparison to Remco in any GT regards isn’t even serious at all. Just fandom wishful thinking if so, not serious at all to cite that as a real example when the reality is so opposite.

He is obviously battling Lipowitz and Almeida next year. Why that’s hard to acknowledge is beyond me. It doesn’t undermine him, he’s still currently the second-best rider in the world overall but it’s very obvious he has limitations and question marks when it comes to GT vs the best.

Even hardcore Remco fans should acknowledge this every day of the week. Imo, it will be an interesting focal point next season to see if he can prove something with his new team and take a leap forward, which he btw will need to do.

 

[Berniece]

Nobody does Giro-Tour double with an expectation to ride both for GC and be 100% in both. You'll be less than perfect in one of them

That’s why they are waiting on the route. They only ride it if Evenepoel can win it not being at 100%, which might happen if there are enough time trials and it’s not too hard at the end.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

That’s why they are waiting on the route. They only ride it if Evenepoel can win it not being at 100%, which might happen if there are enough time trials and it’s not too hard at the end.

He can't be significantly below 100% regardless of the route. Which means he won't be 100% at the Tour ...

 

[houtdffan]

He wants the best possible result in the TDF, which position doesn’t matter. So he wants the best possible preparation, backloaded Giro doesn’t help

as he said, he wants a second TT

"If the rumours are to be believed..." - Remco Evenepoel calls rumoured Giro d'Italia time trial 'tailor-made for me'

Remco Evenepoel is most likely going to the Giro d'Italia. This can already be accurately accessed at the time being as, if the Giro d'Italia route features a 40-kilometer long time trial as its rumou...

cyclinguptodate.com

"Because if the rumours are to be believed, a gruelling final week awaits there as well. In that sense, it would be great if there were a second time trial, for example. The more, the better," he concluded. "

 

[houtdffan]

Fake.

the fake news is your reaction

Pogacar ends retirement rumours; could start 2026 in March; shares thoughts on Remco Evenepoel: "It scares me that he would get better"

Tadej Pogacar is having no thoughts of retiring anytime soon despite the potential for it that began after his exhausting fourth Tour de France win. He is staying with UAE Team Emirates - XRG until 2...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[houtdffan]

Pogacar could have won the Giro with the competition he had there at 80%, he was nowhere near 100%. Remco would have to be close to 100% (Almeida or Del Toro will certainly be there), maybe even that won't be enough if Jonas goes. Nobody does Giro-Tour double with an expectation to ride both for GC and be 100% in both. You'll be less than perfect in one of them

Del Toro is not competition for Remco. People really need to stop listening to Bruyneel

 

[Hugh Januss]

seeing stories this morning that Pog is very worried about Remco improving this coming year.

Wonder if there is some news through the grape vine. Maybe Remco has shown some better numbers in the first Red Bull training camp?

Was that the same article that said Pogi wasn't racing the Tour next year?

 

[AmRacer]

Hate to break it to you, but 2024 showed that’s not the case

It's the case, 2024, 2025...

 

[Berniece]

He can't be significantly below 100% regardless of the route. Which means he won't be 100% at the Tour ...

That’s what you think, I disagree

 

[vappaxbipmv]

That’s what you think, I disagree

So you think he can be 100% in both? In this case the Giro route is irrelevant anyway

 

[houtdffan]

Was that the same article that said Pogi wasn't racing the Tour next year?

Here is this site saying the same thing

https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/teams-riders/it-would-be-scary-to-see-him-even-better-tadej-pogacar-on-remco-evenepoels-move-to-red-bull/

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Del Toro is not competition for Remco. People really need to stop listening to Bruyneel

Everyone expects Remco to improve at RBH. Del Toro is expected to improve even more. Yes, he didn't seem to on the level to be his competition this year, but if he does improve more than Remco, which is expected, he won't exactly be a push-around

I don't know what you're talking about with Johann, this is my opinion and if I am summarising him it's pure coincidence

 

[Berniece]

So you think he can be 100% in both? In this case the Giro route is irrelevant anyway

No, I think he can win the Giro not being at 100% when the route suits him AND Pogi/Vingegaard aren’t there. The gap is too big towards other GT riders in my opinion

 

[houtdffan]

Everyone expects Remco to improve at RBH. Del Toro is expected to improve even more. Yes, he didn't seem to on the level to be his competition this year, but if he does improve more than Remco, which is expected, he won't exactly be a push-around

I don't know what you're talking about with Johann, this is my opinion and if I am summarising him it's pure coincidence

Bryuneel has been long saying on his podcast that Del Toro will beat Remco in every race they line up against each other, only for Remco to soundly put Del Toro in his place

 

[vappaxbipmv]

No, I think he can win the Giro not being at 100% when the route suits him AND Pogi/Vingegaard aren’t there. The gap is too big towards other GT riders in my opinion

So you expect him to be at, let's say, 95% in the Giro, win it (if Jonas and Pogacar don't go), and at 100% at the Tour?

 

[Cycling111]

Del Toro is not competition for Remco. People really need to stop listening to Bruyneel

Just like Remco isn't a rival for Pogacar in a Tour de France.

Here, they're debating as if Remco were second in GT and the alternative, when it's actually Vingegaard.
Remco isn't even second; he needs to improve to become second.

Remco hasn't even beaten Vingegaard on a mountain stage.
But here they are determined to compare him to Pogacar, who had beaten Vingegaard several times from the beginning.

I agree that I don't consider Del Toro better in a GT, but the gap that Del Toro has with Remco is not very far from the gap that Remco has with Pogacar in a Tour, that is also big.

 

[Berniece]

So you expect him to be at, let's say, 95% in the Giro, win it (if Jonas and Pogacar don't go), and at 100% at the Tour?

Just random percentages, I think he can go undercooked to Giro and win it. In the assumption that he is still getting better

 

[Cycling111]

the fake news is your reaction

Pogacar ends retirement rumours; could start 2026 in March; shares thoughts on Remco Evenepoel: "It scares me that he would get better"

Tadej Pogacar is having no thoughts of retiring anytime soon despite the potential for it that began after his exhausting fourth Tour de France win. He is staying with UAE Team Emirates - XRG until 2...

cyclinguptodate.com

It's as fake as Pogacar's retirement in 2028, which has already been debunked.

It's just a figure of speech. When the Tour de France previews, we'll hear Pogacar say that Vingegaard is his biggest rival.
If they ask him about Remco, he'll give a usual answer. Last year he also said that Roglic could be a rival when it's obvious that he hasn't been for a long time, only Vingegaard.
What else is he going to say? If they ask him about Ayuso, he'll say he's a great rival for the Tour.

The reality is that in GT Remco hasn't even been close to him or been the next.
Pogacar knows this, as does anyone who has seen the GTs, but in an interview, one is always diplomatic with the rivals they are asked about.

Pogacar considers Remco a bigger rival for the Classics than for the Tour de France.

When he spoke on the last day of the Tour, there was some hysteria in the Pogacar thread about his supposed premature retirement, but that's not the case. It´s the same.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Just random percentages, I think he can go undercooked to Giro and win it. In the assumption that he is still getting better

He's very prone to underdeliver or abandon GTs, I don't believe he can afford that. When he goes undercooked in some race he doesn't do well. Isn't that basically what everyone here is saying all the time? And the proof is all the GC abandons in GTs and underperforming in 1 week stage races. And the explanation is always something along the lines of "he wasn't at 100%"

 

[Cycling111]

He's very prone to underdeliver or abandon GTs, I don't believe he can afford that. When he goes undercooked in some race he doesn't do well. Isn't that basically what everyone here is saying all the time? And the proof is all the GC abandons in GTs and underperforming in 1 week stage races. And the explanation is always something along the lines of "he wasn't at 100%"

This

That's why Remco hasn't won any of the seven major-trous and has won the Vuelta, just like Valverde and other cyclists who won the Vuelta but struggled more in other Grand Tours because to win a Tour de France they have to be very consistent in the mountains. The same in the Giro , although it's easier to win because the level of the opponents is lower.

But to win those two Grand Tours you have to be consistent, and that's a major problem Remco needs to improve.