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

[AmRacer]

Route for Paris-Nice 2026 has been announced. If I was him I might choose to do UAE Tour + Paris-Nice and then go to altitude and skip Catalunya. Instead of doing Catalunya and no Paris-Nice. Then again, doing Catalunya after altitude camp improves his chances immensely.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001246775441809461

As said numerous times by multiple people, Paris-Nice/Tirreno-Adriatico don’t fit in his schedule if he wants to go to altitude. He is riding Catalunya, also one of the big 7

You were right about UAE, but not Paris-Nice.

 

[Berniece]

First thing I thought of, too. Ah, well, I'm also scared of the boogie man.

That’s why he is doing LBL and TDF

 

[vappaxbipmv]

UAE will have to send someone big now.

Almeida is doing Algarve and Pogacar has bigger fish to fry so Del Toro is the best man available. But let's not pretend that he doesn't have a chance there

 

[KoopaCycling]

Almeida is doing Algarve and Pogacar has bigger fish to fry so Del Toro is the best man available. But let's not pretend that he doesn't have a chance there

If UAE has Del Toro on the same trajectory , as well as program they have for Pogacar, Del Toro may well be flying next year.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

If UAE has Del Toro on the same trajectory , as well as program they have for Pogacar, Del Toro may well be flying next year.

Exactly, it's not like February Remco is some mythical climber that can't be beaten

 

[peterfin]

Exactly, it's not like February Remco is some mythical climber that can't be beaten

It's not like the UAE tour has mythical climbs. If it's similar to last year we get two 6-7% climbs and both in the final of a stage. So if we get a TT of more than 15 km the mythical aerobullet will be difficult to beat, yes.

 

[chickenlips]

Exactly, it's not like February Remco is some mythical climber that can't be beaten

March through January Remco is no mythical climber.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

It's not like the UAE tour has mythical climbs. If it's similar to last year we get two 6-7% climbs and both in the final of a stage. So if we get a TT of more than 15 km the mythical aerobullet will be difficult to beat, yes.

It was steep enough for Yates to convincingly drop Remco there a few years ago. I didn't say Del Toro will easily beat Remco but that he's not without chances. Obviously Remco is the favourite but it wouldn't be shocking it he doesn't win

 

[Berniece]

Exactly, it's not like February Remco is some mythical climber that can't be beaten

Indeed, wasn’t Evenepoel beaten by Adam Yates climbing in the UAE Tour that Evenepoel won?

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Indeed, wasn’t Evenepoel beaten by Adam Yates climbing in the UAE Tour that Evenepoel won?

He did, which only confirms my hypothesis. February Remco isn't a great climber but his TT is always elite (and he didn't lose time in crosswinds)

 

[houtdffan]

It was steep enough for Yates to convincingly drop Remco there a few years ago. I didn't say Del Toro will easily beat Remco but that he's not without chances. Obviously Remco is the favourite but it wouldn't be shocking it he doesn't win

Yates beat remco by a whole 10s while remco won the overall by about a minute

 

[Berniece]

He did, which only confirms my hypothesis. February Remco isn't a great climber but his TT is always elite (and he didn't lose time in crosswinds)

I expect a better climbing Evenepoel now though. He will be eager to start again, new team, new trainer. Valencia will tell us more too since there decent opposition. Almeida, Landa, Uijtdebroeks, Pellizzari, Tiberi, TGH.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

I expect a better climbing Evenepoel now though. He will be eager to start again, new team, new trainer. Valencia will tell us more too since there decent opposition. Almeida, Landa, Uijtdebroeks, Pellizzari, Tiberi, TGH.

Everyone you mentioned apart from Almeida and maybe Landa, if he's very good, shouldn't present any problem whatsoever for Remco

 

[red_flanders]

Everyone you mentioned apart from Almeida and maybe Landa, if he's very good, shouldn't present any problem whatsoever for Remco

This is an early season race. Isn’t it really about who’s targeting it or on good form?

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Yates beat remco by a whole 10s while remco won the overall by about a minute

Watch the race again, Yates attacked with cca 3km to go, the gap was made almost instantly and even though the end of the climb is flatter (more than 2,km), Remco couldn't bring anything back even though we all know he's more aero and stronger on flatter sections than Yates

 

[vappaxbipmv]

This is an early season race. Isn’t it really about who’s targeting it or on good form?

I mean, if you're battling against TGH (all due respect) at any point during the year, you're not a good climber. And your improved climbing is definitely not there yet. But I agree, early season races don't tell us much about who will be good in July

 

[AmRacer]

I mean, if you're battling against TGH (all due respect) at any point during the year, you're not a good climber. And your improved climbing is definitely not there yet. But I agree, early season races don't tell us much about who will be good in July

Pogi and Jonas are the exceptions

 

[Berniece]

Everyone you mentioned apart from Almeida and maybe Landa, if he's very good, shouldn't present any problem whatsoever for Remco

I agree, but it will show his form. If he finishes with TGH I think he’ll have trouble with Del Toro in UAE Tour, and he is in typical SOQ Evenepoel February shape

 

[vappaxbipmv]

I agree, but it will show his form. If he finishes with TGH I think he’ll have trouble with Del Toro in UAE Tour, and he is in typical SOQ Evenepoel February shape

One thing's for certain, he will be in better shape than last year, hopefully

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Pogi and Jonas are the exceptions

Jonas in early season is notoriously not that same Jonas as in July. But we know he'll be great when he has to be

 

[Berniece]

One thing's for certain, he will be in better shape than last year, hopefully

Won’t see him in Belgium anymore for a long time I think. He’s in Calpe at the moment, will go from there to the TTT and then Valencia. Maybe between Valencia and UAE Tour that he’ll come back

 

[Red Rick]

UAE is basically curious if only because most stages are so easy it's probably better to just train instead of going there.

 

[AmRacer]

UAE is basically curious if only because most stages are so easy it's probably better to just train instead of going there.

Not if you want to win something...

 

[Berniece]

UAE is basically curious if only because most stages are so easy it's probably better to just train instead of going there.

They can hope for 2 days of echelons maybe

 

[Berniece]

On a side note, the route for Volta Comunitat Valenciana will be announced later tonight. We only know that the second day will have an ITT of 17.5km's. This will make sure that other riders will have to go on the attack during hilly and mountainous stages if they want to win from Evenepoel/Almeida who will probably ride a better ITT.