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

[KoopaCycling]

If remco wins Amstel + Dauphine + WC TT whilst having a solid Tour it's already a good season.
Anything beyond that is gravy. I'm not unsatisfied with his shedule so far.

 

[AmRacer]

If remco wins Amstel + Dauphine + WC TT whilst having a solid Tour it's already a good season.
Anything beyond that is gravy. I'm not unsatisfied with his shedule so far.

He can still do that and racing the RVV, at least.

 

[Berniece]

If remco wins Amstel + Dauphine + WC TT whilst having a solid Tour it's already a good season.
Anything beyond that is gravy. I'm not unsatisfied with his shedule so far.

It’s just that there’s room for more. MSR really is easy to add. I hope he’ll make a surprise visit

 

[Extinction]

UAE didn't want Pogacar to ride Flanders either, and they were even more reluctant about Roubaix. But a rider of that caliber can overrule the team.
In the end, the team's star decision prevails.

Sure, so Remco should also be able to target "non-conventional" races if he wants too. Perhaps he allows team management to convince him otherwise too much; that, for example, MSR is not "for him"; that Flanders is "too dangerous" (nevermind for a Flandrian it should be an annual must); that it's "better" to focus on "your strengths." I just think he has been mismanaged and consequently held back as a result.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Sure, so Remco should also be able to target "non-conventional" races if he wants too. Perhaps he allows team management to convince him otherwise too much; that, for example, MSR is not "for him"; that Flanders is "too dangerous" (nevermind for a Flandrian it should be an annual must); that it's "better" to focus on "your strengths." I just think he has been mismanaged and consequently held back as a result.

What I've seen from Brabantse Pijl is that Remco rides okay'ish on cobbles. Wether he got what it takes to be a flandrien is up for grabs still. He's got the engine. The skills have improved, but improved enough?

 

[Extinction]

Well,

What I've seen from Brabantse Pijl is that Remco rides okay'ish on cobbles. Wether he got what it takes to be a flandrien is up for grabs still. He's got the engine. The skills have improved, but improved enough?

Well, we'll never find out if he doesn't start!

 

[Cycling111]

This year in Valencia there's no finish in a mountain and the route is less thought than in previous years.

Just winning the time trial should be enough to win the GC.

 

[KoopaCycling]

What i'm reading from Remco interview is that he'll ride in an attacking manner and then try to maintain a hard effort for a prolonged time so as to better himself. Sounds like good tv to me.

 

[Berniece]

What i'm reading from Remco interview is that he'll ride in an attacking manner and then try to maintain a hard effort for a prolonged time so as to better himself. Sounds like good tv to me.

Indeed, hopefully others want to ride with him. The likes of Almeida

 

[KoopaCycling]

People be wanting more experiments in his racing program, but i'm thinking Red Bull want to methodically find out how much better they can make remco this year. In that regard i like his schedule. 2 big 1 week stage races, 2-3 ardennes classics and a couple of less important stage races to help gauge the training progress.

 

[Berniece]

People be wanting more experiments in his racing program, but i'm thinking Red Bull want to methodically find out how much better they can make remco this year. In that regard i like his schedule. 2 big 1 week stage races, 2-3 ardennes classics and a couple of less important stage races to help gauge the training progress.

It’s a great schedule for a GT rider, but Evenepoel is more than that.

 

[Red Rick]

Getting Evenepoel for a buy out + the absurd wages he gets doesn't make any sense if you're just aiming for the TdF which you're probably not gonna win at all.

Even if you want to argue for his marketing and PR value, that gets so much higher if he's in there in races like MSR and RVV

 

[Berniece]

Getting Evenepoel for a buy out + the absurd wages he gets doesn't make any sense if you're just aiming for the TdF which you're probably not gonna win at all.

Even if you want to argue for his marketing and PR value, that gets so much higher if he's in there in races like MSR and RVV

I still hope they decide he should go for MSR if altitude camp goes well

 

[KoopaCycling]

Getting Evenepoel for a buy out + the absurd wages he gets doesn't make any sense if you're just aiming for the TdF which you're probably not gonna win at all.

Even if you want to argue for his marketing and PR value, that gets so much higher if he's in there in races like MSR and RVV

Catalunya and Dauphiné are important. UAE is technically WT. Amstel and LBL are amongst the biggest one day races, and he'll ride all the big objectives in the fall (except EC RR probably as that would prob. clash with lombardia, i personally would rly want him to win the EC RR though, not that wins are a given just by showing up)

Now i understand what you're getting at, but if we step back from wanting Remco to compete on more monuments, other one week stage races, it rly isn't a bad shedule.

 

[Cycling111]

UAE Tour is a WT race, but also the TDU, and winning it isn't relevant. Besides, Remco has already won UAE Tour.

It would add more prestige to his record adding Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico.

 

[Berniece]

UAE Tour is a WT race, but algo the TDU, and winning it isn't relevant. Besides, Remco has already won UAE Tour.

It would add more prestige to his record adding Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico.

Doesn’t work with his altitude camp. If he wins Catalunya we know it was worth it

 

[red_flanders]

UAE didn't want Pogacar to ride Flanders either, and they were even more reluctant about Roubaix. But a rider of that caliber can overrule the team.
In the end, the team's star decision prevails.

Very true. I think there are two factors. One, Pogi is UAE, and the top rider in the world, where Remco is the new guy. A huge star and signing, but less in total control of the team. The other thing is that it’s gonna be easier to convince a guy with that injury history to take it easier this year. But I don’t think he’s doing whatever the team says, he certainly signed with conditions like a guaranteed Tour leadership.

 

[Ulle97]

Thought Remco would have made it 4 out of 4 today in Mallorca. Very poor showing.

Surprised the haters haven't been on here yet to troll him.

 

[vappaxbipmv]

Thought Remco would have made it 4 out of 4 today in Mallorca. Very poor showing.

Surprised the haters haven't been on here yet to troll him.

Technically he didn't make 3/3 either. TTT win counts as team win but not as rider's win

 

[AmRacer]

Thought Remco would have made it 4 out of 4 today in Mallorca. Very poor showing.

Surprised the haters haven't been on here yet to troll him.

Maybe the lovers could come up with an Excuse why Remco didn't win? 🙃

 

[Pantani_lives]

Evenepoel remains unbeaten in 2026. I wonder if he can keep this up for the rest of the season.

 

[AlpRaid]

I think some posters don't always realize how injuries, crashes and illness have delayed Remco's career.

For example, he was to do the giro in 2020.
We might have seen him at the TDF even in 2021 at that point -- or perhaps the Vuelta would have been in 2021 and the TDF in 2022.

Instead, he rushed back to the Giro in 2021 and did the Vuelta in 2022. His return to the Giro in 2023 was then thwarted by Covid, that then forced him to the Vuelta without proper prep. Then the TDF in 2024 -- successful, despite even a rushed prep due to crash. Then 2025 crash.

I want to be clear, this is not about whether he would have been more successful and won any of those races, but it just goes to show how all of the crashes, injuries and illness have delayed a guy who turned pro at 18-19 from entering and/or completing a bunch of races earlier in his career.

I personally would have loved to see him him target the Giro this year, and then see how he could do in the TDF even after that. However, I understand why they made the choices they made. Let's see how he can do with an injury-free build towards a TDF that doesn't even play to his strengths - I think that's kind of honorable. He is choosing to put all the chips down in a race he is likely to be dominated by the other two, instead of chasing an arguably better chance at the Giro or whatever.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I think some posters don't always realize how injuries, crashes and illness have delayed Remco's career.

For example, he was to do the giro in 2020.
We might have seen him at the TDF even in 2021 at that point -- or perhaps the Vuelta would have been in 2021 and the TDF in 2022.

Instead, he rushed back to the Giro in 2021 and did the Vuelta in 2022. His return to the Giro in 2023 was then thwarted by Covid, that then forced him to the Vuelta without proper prep. Then the TDF in 2024 -- successful, despite even a rushed prep due to crash. Then 2025 crash.

I want to be clear, this is not about whether he would have been more successful and won any of those races, but it just goes to show how all of the crashes, injuries and illness have delayed a guy who turned pro at 18-19 from entering and/or completing a bunch of races earlier in his career.

I personally would have loved to see him him target the Giro this year, and then see how he could do in the TDF even after that. However, I understand why they made the choices they made. Let's see how he can do with an injury-free build towards a TDF that doesn't even play to his strengths - I think that's kind of honorable. He is choosing to put all the chips down in a race he is likely to be dominated by the other two, instead of chasing an arguably better chance at the Giro or whatever.

I agree with most of what was posted here, with the caveat that Red Bull was always going to make the Tour his biggest target in his first year with them. Remco would have needed to throw the biggest of tantrums if he wanted to make any other GT his primary target this year.

 

[AmRacer]

I think some posters don't always realize how injuries, crashes and illness have delayed Remco's career.

For example, he was to do the giro in 2020.
We might have seen him at the TDF even in 2021 at that point -- or perhaps the Vuelta would have been in 2021 and the TDF in 2022.

Instead, he rushed back to the Giro in 2021 and did the Vuelta in 2022. His return to the Giro in 2023 was then thwarted by Covid, that then forced him to the Vuelta without proper prep. Then the TDF in 2024 -- successful, despite even a rushed prep due to crash. Then 2025 crash.

I want to be clear, this is not about whether he would have been more successful and won any of those races, but it just goes to show how all of the crashes, injuries and illness have delayed a guy who turned pro at 18-19 from entering and/or completing a bunch of races earlier in his career.

I personally would have loved to see him him target the Giro this year, and then see how he could do in the TDF even after that. However, I understand why they made the choices they made. Let's see how he can do with an injury-free build towards a TDF that doesn't even play to his strengths - I think that's kind of honorable. He is choosing to put all the chips down in a race he is likely to be dominated by the other two, instead of chasing an arguably better chance at the Giro or whatever.

He was rushed back to the Giro 2021, should've target the Tour with more time to build up.
Should've done the Tour 2023 as world champ, instead of trying the Giro and defending his Vuelta.
Should've done a few MSR and RVV too.

 

[ColonelKidneyBeans]

He was rushed back to the Giro 2021, should've target the Tour with more time to build up.
Should've done the Tour 2023 as world champ, instead of trying the Giro and defending his Vuelta.
Should've done a few MSR and RVV too.

I think doing the 2021 tour would have been a mistake, throwing a very crash prone rider at the most hectic race of the calendar as his first GT would not have ended well. The Giro was obviously a bad choice though, he wasn't ready at all.