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

[chickenlips]

Suppose it's good training for him with his new team. Get to know them better in a race environment.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

why doesn't Remco do Milan San Remo? He'd possibly be favourite

Based on what? His world class sprint or world class punch?

 

[AmRacer]

Based on what? His world class sprint or world class punch?

Maybe the peloton let him slip away again 😁

A few more races like this and he will get his #100

 

[Cycling111]

@fenns No, he wouldn't be a favorite in San Remo. He wouldn't dropped Pogacar in a climb. He's worse in descents than Van der Poel and Pogacar, and in the sprint he's slower than Pogacar, whose problem in San Remo is being slower than VDP.

 

[red_flanders]

Suppose it's good training for him with his new team. Get to know them better in a race environment.

He seems like he prefers to spend time alone…

 

[saunaking]

It's just that in the TDF the TTT will be different. Every rider has his own time. So UAE/Visma will ride in such a way that Pogacar or Vingegaard might finish solo, or with only 1 rider beside them because the whole team rode for them.

For RBH, Evenepoel and Lipowitz should stay together, because you can't start the first day with an internal leadership battle already. Which means, more than likely, Evenepoel can't go full throttle, and already loses seconds to Pogacar/Vingegaard.

Nope, you try 100% to put Remco in Yellow after Stage1

 

[Jan the Man]

@fenns No, he wouldn't be a favorite in San Remo. He wouldn't dropped Pogacar in a climb. He's worse in descents than Van der Poel and Pogacar, and in the sprint he's slower than Pogacar, whose problem in San Remo is being slower than VDP.

He would not be the favourite but would be a favourite.

Obviously while MvP rides he will be the outstanding favourite.

However Remco specialises in long distance races has an amazing engine and would surely be in the second tier of favourites with Pog, WvA, Ganna, Pedersen etc depending on how the race is ridden etc

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Maybe the peloton let him slip away again 😁

A few more races like this and he will get his #100

Right, because that works so well in a race like MSR or against Pogacar/MvdP

 

[vappaxbipmv]

He would not be the favourite but would be a favourite.

Obviously while MvP rides he will be the outstanding favourite.

However Remco specialises in long distance races has an amazing engine and would surely be in the second tier of favourites with Pog, WvA, Ganna, Pedersen etc depending on how the race is ridden etc

No. He doesn't have a punch to drop them and he definitely cannot outsprint them. Based on what characteristic would he be 2nd tier favourite? The hope that he might get lucky and get away after Poggio descent if the group is bigger?

 

[jotafap]

I’d sooner bet on Remco to win RVV than MSR. Anyway, I wouldn’t bet on either under any circumstances.

 

[Unchained]

Can anyone beat him this season?

Yes

 

[peterfin]

I agree. Builds confidence and winning is never wrong so good like to see it. Happy above all hes had a good winter he deserves that. I want Remco to take leaps both physically and mentaly.

What bugs me about him is he gives so insecure vibes I all the time last year everytime to he gets dropped left and right by so many he needed an excuse no matter how stupid the excuse was for his mentality to cope instead of owning it. Now this year, when he sees Pogacar not riding Fleche he instantly adds it from the original schedule, same for UAE Tour which I wouldnt mind if he simulatiously didnt avoid all the biggest spring races which it then becomes very telling no matter if you sleep with a remco bed sheet or not.

Be aware that those vibes are yours and as such your interpretation. He does not fully own his own schedule at RBH. The team is in charge.

 

[Jan the Man]

No. He doesn't have a punch to drop them and he definitely cannot outsprint them. Based on what characteristic would he be 2nd tier favourite? The hope that he might get lucky and get away after Poggio descent if the group is bigger?

Agree to disagree if you don’t think Remco would be in the second tier of favourites.

I would obviously place the prospects of some of the others in the tier a little higher but he’s clearly one of the best one day racers in the peloton, so am unclear as to why you would not think he’d be amongst the favourites if he rides. If Ganna could hang with Pog last year i don’t understand why you don’t think a top Remco would indeed his biggest challenge would be positioning.

As i said others would be bigger favourites but i have no doubt he would be a protagonist.

 

[Cycling111]

Be aware that those vibes are yours and as such your interpretation. He does not fully own his own schedule at RBH. The team is in charge.

Adding FW after it became clear Pogacar wasn't going is an objective fact. It's something we discussed when he didn't add it initially.

If he's not going to San Remo, it's because he knows it will be very difficult. Pogacar knows the same, but he accepts it because he's won Flanders and can fight for Roubaix.

I suppose Remco doesn't want to go to San Remo because he doesn't have that realistic challenge of 5 Monuments and he knows he can't even beat Pogacar in the sprint, who hasn't won it for that reason.

Saying that Remco is the favorite in a race he's not going is very easy, when objectively we know that he wouldn't be.

 

[RedheadDane]

It just bugs me he wont show up to one, didnt want him in all three as I can understand part of it, winning also matter etc, i just wanted him to show up at one cause at the same time hes not in Del Toro overall tier either im sure you get my point and its mainly frustration more than anything.

All three what?
Grand Tours? Well... he is showing up to one of those...

But you talked about "during the spring", there are way more than three big races during the spring... he's turning up to some of those.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Based on what? His world class sprint or world class punch?

Actually MSR could be the monument where Remco's chances are the best now, given Pogacar's dominance in hilly/mountainous races and Van der Poel's dominance in cobbled races. He could use the final 2 km and try a solo finish. If MVP and Pogacar hesitate for a few seconds it's over.

 

[AmRacer]

Right, because that works so well in a race like MSR or against Pogacar/MvdP

No. He doesn't have a punch to drop them and he definitely cannot outsprint them. Based on what characteristic would he be 2nd tier favourite? The hope that he might get lucky and get away after Poggio descent if the group is bigger?

Are you arguing with yourself?

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Agree to disagree if you don’t think Remco would be in the second tier of favourites.

I would obviously place the prospects of some of the others in the tier a little higher but he’s clearly one of the best one day racers in the peloton, so am unclear as to why you would not think he’d be amongst the favourites if he rides. If Ganna could hang with Pog last year i don’t understand why you don’t think a top Remco would indeed his biggest challenge would be positioning.

As i said others would be bigger favourites but i have no doubt he would be a protagonist.

I'm not saying Remco would be dropped on Cipressa (of he was in good position), that would be very disappointing

Okay so is there any realistic way for him to win MSR, other than getting lucky and going solo after attacking after the Poggio descent? The answer is no. Which for me doesn't put him among the favourites if the entire strategy is based on luck (on tarmac)

 

[RedheadDane]

I’m not saying he doesn’t ride big races cause hes does. I’m saying he deliberately avoids the big boys in the three biggest spring races before PR.

OOh... didn't realise it was specifically about before PR. I thought it was, you know... all of spring.

 

[fenns]

@fenns No, he wouldn't be a favorite in San Remo. He wouldn't dropped Pogacar in a climb. He's worse in descents than Van der Poel and Pogacar, and in the sprint he's slower than Pogacar, whose problem in San Remo is being slower than VDP.

So maybe 2 guys could beat him. What are Remco's targets for wins in 2026? I guess it's time trials and races (like today) when the competition is weak - and showing up at the Tour for the sponsors

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Are you arguing with yourself?

Obviously not. I'm making a point that he wouldn't be among favourites

 

[AmRacer]

OOh... didn't realise it was specifically about before PR. I thought it was, you know... all of spring.

We don't expect to see Remco riding PR, and the big races before there are more competition than Pogi. After PR, there's only Pogi in selected few races.

 

[AmRacer]

Obviously not. I'm making a point that he wouldn't be among favourites

Most riders aren't among the favourites, still they ride.

 

[Berniece]

I agree. Builds confidence and winning is never wrong so good like to see it. Happy above all hes had a good winter he deserves that. I want Remco to take leaps both physically and mentaly.

What bugs me about him is he gives so insecure vibes I all the time last year everytime to he gets dropped left and right by so many he needed an excuse no matter how stupid the excuse was for his mentality to cope instead of owning it. Now this year, when he sees Pogacar not riding Fleche he instantly adds it from the original schedule, same for UAE Tour which I wouldnt mind if he simulatiously didnt avoid all the biggest spring races which it then becomes very telling no matter if you sleep with a remco bed sheet or not.

Where did he say he is riding Flèche? I still thought this wasn’t the plan. I get he adds it if Pogacar isn’t riding though, chances increase for everyone suddenly

 

[Cycling111]

I also believe there's some basis for saying Remco is the second-best cyclist in the world, or at least the second most complete. That's why it's striking that in his seventh professional year he's never been a rival to MVDP in a Monument. And that's something a cyclist who's said to be so complete is lacking.
He's not as much of a specialist as Vingegaard, but he's more of a GT rider who rides the Ardennes, than a great riders like Merckx, Hinault and others who raced everywhere.
Will we ever see Remco rival MVDP in Monuments? (Before MVDP's decline.)