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

[red_flanders]

I think the wind caused Del Toro to lose a few more seconds, but I don't think you can expect him to do (much) better than the likes of Van Wilder or Tiberi.

I wouldn't expect him to do a better TT than Van Wilder. Granted it's early season but in general, Van Wilder is quite good in the TT...

 

[Ilmaestro99]

with Van Gils out, does this mean Remco is in MSR and RVV since he was the first reserve?

No, they should send Roglic instead

 

[Extinction]

I've read that Remco is at his same early season weight as in past years, however, looking at him on the bike he just seems fitter. Seeing him in the TT yesterday, moreover, his body appears more like a man than a boy. In other words, he's coming into physical maturity. It will be intersting to see how he climbs soon.

 

[Berniece]

I've read that Remco is at his same early season weight as in past years, however, looking at him on the bike he just seems fitter. Seeing him in the TT yesterday, moreover, his body appears more like a man than a boy. In other words, he's coming into physical maturity. It will be intersting to see how he climbs soon.

He's at his peak Ardennes weight already early in the season. At SOQ he might start the season at 65kg and eventually by the time LBL is around the corner he weight 63kg. Now he's already at 63kg.

Random numbers, I don't know his weight, but I think that's why you are seeing a difference.

 

[bah]

Not looking very impressive on this climb unfortunately.

 

[Extinction]

Answer: negative, with cramps apparently.

 

[repre]

He needs to be called 'Sweating Belgian' from now on

 

[Snake]

He can't literally perform on serious climbs without altitude camp

 

[Berniece]

We'll know after the stage, I'm pretty sure it's just the heat

 

[bah]

We'll know after the stage, I'm pretty sure it's just the heat

I hate to say it but it's "just something" too often.

 

[Berniece]

I hate to say it but it's "just something" too often.

That's true, even more so if you see who is in front of him

 

[Rackham]

The team made loads of recruitments at a staff level presumably with a view to implementing a 'plan' which involved not having these sorts of days.

So I'd look at the team first and ask what they're doing here. It's their race schedule they've given him. It's their preparation.

 

[fenns]

Early in the season but not looking good. He's regressed as a climber since 2024.

 

[Cycling111]

Remco isn't a climber. It shows in his physique and in how he struggles every time a climb reaches double digits.

Although I think he can have another Tour like the one in 2024, to do so he has to sacrifice and train more than others who are natural climbers.
That's why it's going to be very difficult for him to win the Tour or the Giro. Whenever there's a great climber, it's going to be very difficult for him.

On the other hand, Lipowitz is a very good climber; he's proven it even when it seemed like it wasn't his time yet.

The question at this point is whether it's worth dedicating entire seasons to the preparation he needs for the Tour, or if he should train for races like Flanders and Roubaix, overcoming his struggles in those types of races. Obviously, winning the Tour is paramount, but once Pogacar and Vingegard will retire (Remco debuted the same year), he has riders like Seixas, who is a naturally climber.

 

[Berniece]

The team made loads of recruitments at a staff level presumably with a view to implementing a 'plan' which involved not having these sorts of days.

So I'd look at the team first and ask what they're doing here. It's their race schedule they've given him. It's their preparation.

Bad prep, as in, no heat training? When you look at Del Toro, he was soaking wet, looked like he threw 100L of fluids on himself during the last 10km's. Evenepoel didn't. We saw something similar in the Tour during Hautacam stage. Was dropped, went to the car, started putting ice cubes in his jersey and clawed his way back in the descent.

 

[Extinction]

Remco isn't a climber. It shows in his physique and in how he struggles every time a climb reaches double digits.

Although I think he can have another Tour like the one in 2024, to do so he has to sacrifice and train more than others who are natural climbers.
That's why it's going to be very difficult for him to win the Tour or the Giro. Whenever there's a great climber, it's going to be very difficult for him.

On the other hand, Lipowitz is a very good climber; he's proven it even when it seemed like it wasn't his time yet.

The question at this point is whether it's worth dedicating entire seasons to the preparation he needs for the Tour, or if he should train for races like Flanders and Roubaix, overcoming his struggles in those types of races. Obviously, winning the Tour is paramount, but once Pogacar and Vingegard will retire (Remco debuted the same year), he has riders like Seixas, who is a naturally climber.

Yea, it's become apparent that a climb like today becomes his "race of truth".

 

[KoopaCycling]

I have to agree that remco seems to need to be in GT shape in order to be able be decent at a climb like today.
I would not say he can't win the Giro/Tour as a result. Tour especially does not have the steepest gradients.
Del Toro looked like a million bucks again. He knew this climb, and paced it perfect.

I am curious if he'll do an interview. Whereas Del Toro paced himself near perfect, Remco just blew himself up early.
I think he underestimated the climb. But even if he did not, he would have only been able to do damage control today. Maybe lose 1 minute instead of 2.

I'm also curious what remco will do on saturday. How he'll ride then.

 

[Rou]

I have to agree that remco seems to need to be in GT shape in order to be able be decent at a climb like today.
I would not say he can't win the Giro/Tour as a result. Tour especially does not have the steepest gradients.
Del Toro looked like a million bucks again. He knew this climb, and paced it perfect.

I agree that the Tour is the best GT parcour wise for Remco.
There are no monsters like Zoncolan, Mortirolo, Angliru, Gamoniteiro etc..
The problem is the opposition is the biggest at the Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

I did not overreact to the early season mickey mouse wins, but I will also not overreact now

 

[Didinho]

Maybe drank not enough in the easy part of the stage, seemed like cramping. Looked good when he bridged to the front, but you knew he was done when he got dropped again.

Curious what he’ll say about it himself.

 

[mikks]

Remco isn't a climber. It shows in his physique and in how he struggles every time a climb reaches double digits.

Although I think he can have another Tour like the one in 2024, to do so he has to sacrifice and train more than others who are natural climbers.
That's why it's going to be very difficult for him to win the Tour or the Giro. Whenever there's a great climber, it's going to be very difficult for him.

On the other hand, Lipowitz is a very good climber; he's proven it even when it seemed like it wasn't his time yet.

The question at this point is whether it's worth dedicating entire seasons to the preparation he needs for the Tour, or if he should train for races like Flanders and Roubaix, overcoming his struggles in those types of races. Obviously, winning the Tour is paramount, but once Pogacar and Vingegard will retire (Remco debuted the same year), he has riders like Seixas, who is a naturally climber.

Evenepoel has proven that he can climb really well on his day. But he has also shown over the years that he is somewhat fragile or vulnerable to even small bumps (heat, gradient, wrong pace, bad legs, or whatever), and it costs him.


I still remember the 2021 Lombardy, where he had something like a two-minute bonk. He climbed really well before those two minutes and climbed really well after those two minutes — but at the end those two minutes...

Remco’s palmarès is still superb, so it would be risky to take a totally different path. It’s easy to say that he should change everything and go to Roubaix, but what if he has those same two-minute bumps there as well? We don’t know what kind of weaknesses might appear if he changes everything.

 

[Berniece]

Maybe drank not enough in the easy part of the stage, seemed like cramping. Looked good when he bridged to the front, but you knew he was done when he got dropped again.

Curious what he’ll say about it himself.

I think so too, but it's his 8th professional season already. These things shouldn't be happening anymore.

 

[KoopaCycling]

I'm definitely intrigued about Del Toro performances in Strade Bianchi vs Pogacar.

 

[Rackham]

I have to agree that remco seems to need to be in GT shape in order to be able be decent at a climb like today.
I would not say he can't win the Giro/Tour as a result. Tour especially does not have the steepest gradients.
Del Toro looked like a million bucks again. He knew this climb, and paced it perfect.

I am curious if he'll do an interview. Whereas Del Toro paced himself near perfect, Remco just blew himself up early.
I think he underestimated the climb. But even if he did not, he would have only been able to do damage control today. Maybe lose 1 minute instead of 2.

If he needs to be in 'Tour' shape then they're doing his prep wrong. He was great on Lo Port in the Tour of Catalunya back in 2023 versus Rog so I don't buy the whole (Tour prep or bust) idea. There's something else.

Bad prep, as in, no heat training? When you look at Del Toro, he was soaking wet, looked like he threw 100L of fluids on himself during the last 10km's. Evenepoel didn't. We saw something similar in the Tour during Hautacam stage. Was dropped, went to the car, started putting ice cubes in his jersey and clawed his way back in the descent.

I mean Evenepoel is just the athlete. At some point the people around him actually have to start earning their salary because today it looks exactly like "we hire one of the best riders in the world for millions and put a dossard on him. Job done".

 

[Cycling111]

Bad prep, as in, no heat training? When you look at Del Toro, he was soaking wet, looked like he threw 100L of fluids on himself during the last 10km's. Evenepoel didn't. We saw something similar in the Tour during Hautacam stage. Was dropped, went to the car, started putting ice cubes in his jersey and clawed his way back in the descent.

I think that if it had been Liège today, Remco would have destroyed these riders with the same heat.