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

[YavorD]

Yes, he's worse than Indurain because you have to compare what Indurain did against the best climbers of his era. He could win mountain stages and even set records surpassing the best climbers.

Remco hasn't even come close to winning a mountain stage in the Tour.

He's no Tony Martin, but it's also a mistake to do these constant analyses as if he were Indurain in mountain stages against the best of his era.
And we're talking about longer mountain stages with four categorized climbs. Remco would lose even more time than he's already been losing on mountain stages.

Yeah, but Indurain (almost) didn't have to deal with and all time geat climbers. And Pogacar and Vingegaard are up there.
In fact, when he had to deal with an all time great one, Pantani, Indurain got trashed.
I don't find it outrageous to think that Vingegaard and Pogacar will destroy Indurain, like they do with Evenepoel, and then his (Evenepoel's) climbing would be seen from entirely new perspective.


Obviously because of whatever reasons Evenepoel's consistency (at climbing) is much worse rhan what's desire to win and dominate GT's, but if Vingegaard and Pogacar are THAT god, then Evenepoel is a great climber as well.

 

[peterfin]

He was infinitely more impressive at climbing than Remco this year. Saying that Remco is closing the gap is pure speculation at best and completely wrong at worst

Remco was also infinitely more impressive at climbing in 2024 than this year.

 

[AmRacer]

Remco was also infinitely more impressive at climbing in 2024 than this year.

Chris Froome was also infinitely more impressive at climbing in 2018 than this year.

 

[aphronesis]

Remco can still improve if he decides.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Remco can still improve if he decides.

If he decides he can win the Tour.
It's said that a few years back Pogi & Vingo asked Remco to skip the Tour and give them another chance. He gave them even more chances than they asked for!

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Remco was also infinitely more impressive at climbing in 2024 than this year.

Remco at his best isn't close to Jonas at his best. If we want to compare like with like

 

[aphronesis]

If he decides he can win the Tour.
It's said that a few years back Pogi & Vingo asked Remco to skip the Tour and give them another chance. He gave them even more chances than they asked for!

Only meant by way of contrast with Froome; and deciding to climb.

Not sure I’d follow you on the rest.

 

[KZD]

I have to say the Giro route looks pretty good for Remco, few mountain stages, lots of hilly/punchy stages and a 40km flat and largely untechnical TT.

If Vingegaard is on the start line he will always be the favourite but I think Remco should give it a go, after all a lot can happen during 3 weeks.

 

[Cookster15]

Yeah, but Indurain (almost) didn't have to deal with and all time geat climbers. And Pogacar and Vingegaard are up there.
In fact, when he had to deal with an all time great one, Pantani, Indurain got trashed.
I don't find it outrageous to think that Vingegaard and Pogacar will destroy Indurain, like they do with Evenepoel, and then his (Evenepoel's) climbing would be seen from entirely new perspective.


Obviously because of whatever reasons Evenepoel's consistency (at climbing) is much worse rhan what's desire to win and dominate GT's, but if Vingegaard and Pogacar are THAT god, then Evenepoel is a great climber as well.

Always difficult to compare different eras and of course the current crop of Pogi and Jonas are all time greats but Tony Rominger was an all time great climber when he was “on”. Like ‘93 Tour and ‘95 Giro.

When was Indurain trashed by Pantani?

Pantani finished ahead of Miguel Indurain in the General Classification only once in a Grand Tour - ‘94 Giro won by Berzin. Every other occasion Indurain ‘trashed’ Marco.

Maybe you are confusing with ‘98 TdF when Pantani destroyed Jan Ullrich?

 

[YavorD]

Always difficult to compare different eras and of course the current crop of Pogi and Jonas are all time greats but Tony Rominger was an all time great climber when he was “on”. Like ‘93 Tour and ‘95 Giro.

When was Indurain trashed by Pantani?

Pantani finished ahead of Miguel Indurain in the General Classification only once in a Grand Tour - ‘94 Giro won by Berzin. Every other occasion Indurain ‘trashed’ Marco.

Maybe you are confusing with ‘98 TdF when Pantani destroyed Jan Ullrich?

I was considering exactly that Giro in 1994, when Pantani beat Indurain despite losing like 5 minutes in the ITT's, which for me is an equivalent of thrashing (in the mountains), wasn't he also the better climber in the Tour 1994 (too you to watched it live, only saw some videos)?
But okay, if we take 1995 into consideration, I probably over exaggerated a bit.


Anyway, I do agree that it's impossible to compare the relevant levels of each era, but if people consider Pogacar (and Vingegaard) as the greatest climbers ever by some margin and judged by mountain stages won and sheer dominance, this may not be too far fetched, then Evenepoel (in top form, which is the biggest hurdle for him) could very well be somewhere around top 30.
Of course inferior to Pogacar and Vingegaard, but that's impressively high level of climbing.