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

[Red Rick]

Overall this just repeats a few patterns for Evenepoel

1. Disappointing performance on a long and steep climb. Early season he's usually considerably worse on long climbs and on long and steep climbs it's basically always so. He's done one great performance on a 12% average or higher climb and it was 15 minutes.
2. Having a really *** performance the moment something goes wrong. He just doesn't have a B level, he falls through the floor immediately.
3. A more general observation that riders don't perform well outside their more natural skillset really early in the season. This is why you see Evenepoel struggle on long, big climbs in February, or why a guy like Vingegaard may drop a horrendous flat TT in the Tirreno.

His coach was talking about his legs being too muscular, but I more specficially think he just doesn't have a typical cyclists' build with long, legs. He has a sprinter's build with shorter limbs and I really think that hurts more on steep gradients where a pedal stroke becomes less continuous and crank inertial load increases.

I think he just trained more on shorter, more explosive efforts earlier in the season, in part to get more wins in earlier in the season and give his move to Red Bull a boost. But I don't really think that much has changed about him as a rider by going to Red Bull. His ITT is phenomenal, but it was already so at QS, and even as early as 2022 he could compete on punchy climbs on an LBL stage with the likes of Pogacar early in the season in Tirreno.

Aside from that, I don't think he handles disappointment well within a race and he clearly struggles to push through bad legs to push for like a 5th or whatever place. Whether that extends to him blocking completely in races like the TdF 2025 I'm not sure.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Maybe the clue is the lack of context after "the Tour"?
There's too many Tours to be won and the plot twist is that he isn't aiming for "..de France" but "... of Britain" perhaps.

Many tours but only one "the Tour"

 

[Netserk]

Overall this just repeats a few patterns for Evenepoel

1. Disappointing performance on a long and steep climb. Early season he's usually considerably worse on long climbs and on long and steep climbs it's basically always so. He's done one great performance on a 12% average or higher climb and it was 15 minutes.
2. Having a really *** performance the moment something goes wrong. He just doesn't have a B level, he falls through the floor immediately.
3. A more general observation that riders don't perform well outside their more natural skillset really early in the season. This is why you see Evenepoel struggle on long, big climbs in February, or why a guy like Vingegaard may drop a horrendous flat TT in the Tirreno.

yeah this is what is meant by fatco being no natural climber

 

[Berniece]

Overall this just repeats a few patterns for Evenepoel

1. Disappointing performance on a long and steep climb. Early season he's usually considerably worse on long climbs and on long and steep climbs it's basically always so. He's done one great performance on a 12% average or higher climb and it was 15 minutes.
2. Having a really *** performance the moment something goes wrong. He just doesn't have a B level, he falls through the floor immediately.
3. A more general observation that riders don't perform well outside their more natural skillset really early in the season. This is why you see Evenepoel struggle on long, big climbs in February, or why a guy like Vingegaard may drop a horrendous flat TT in the Tirreno.

His coach was talking about his legs being too muscular, but I more specficially think he just doesn't have a typical cyclists' build with long, legs. He has a sprinter's build with shorter limbs and I really think that hurts more on steep gradients where a pedal stroke becomes less continuous and crank inertial load increases.

I think he just trained more on shorter, more explosive efforts earlier in the season, in part to get more wins in earlier in the season and give his move to Red Bull a boost. But I don't really think that much has changed about him as a rider by going to Red Bull. His ITT is phenomenal, but it was already so at QS, and even as early as 2022 he could compete on punchy climbs on an LBL stage with the likes of Pogacar early in the season in Tirreno.

Aside from that, I don't think he handles disappointment well within a race and he clearly struggles to push through bad legs to push for like a 5th or whatever place. Whether that extends to him blocking completely in races like the TdF 2025 I'm not sure.

He has 2 big goals this spring. Catalunya and Ardennes Classics. In what world is he going to do well in Catalunya if you see how hard the race is this year? Then he needs to train very differently the next 4 weeks, and probably lose some weight.

 

[AmRacer]

He has 2 big goals this spring. Catalunya and Ardennes Classics. In what world is he going to do well in Catalunya if you see how hard the race is this year? Then he needs to train very differently the next 4 weeks, and probably lose some weight.

Oh, the weight. ..

 

[Red Rick]

He has 2 big goals this spring. Catalunya and Ardennes Classics. In what world is he going to do well in Catalunya if you see how hard the race is this year? Then he needs to train very differently the next 4 weeks, and probably lose some weight.

No such climbs in Catalunya this year. Or any year.

I forgot to add one thing. Evenepoel says he didn't recover from his ITT. I actually think it's more likely that 2 hours in a hot seat would *** with him rather than not recovering from a 13 minute effort.

Also, it's not too late to race Milano Sanremo and RVV for *** sake.

 

[Berniece]

No such climbs in Catalunya this year. Or any year.

I forgot to add one thing. Evenepoel says he didn't recover from his ITT. I actually think it's more likely that 2 hours in a hot seat would *** with him rather than not recovering from a 13 minute effort.

Also, it's not too late to race Milano Sanremo and RVV for *** sake.

No climbs like this, but long climbs at 8-9%. I still don't see why that would be feasible after a performance like today.

Also, no way RBH is changing schedule so last minute.

 

[Pozzovivo]

I forgot to add one thing. Evenepoel says he didn't recover from his ITT. I actually think it's more likely that 2 hours in a hot seat would *** with him rather than not recovering from a 13 minute effort.

How does sitting down in a seat for two hours affect your performance the next day? You don't think the other riders were sitting down somewhere else?

 

[Andre]

Accountability is when you admit your mistakes and then don't make them again. This is just a description of how he claims he felt, and he doesn't really admit to anything.

he admitted he didn't feel good

 

[ashhutch1997]

Red Bull might be regretting the money they spent on Remco, when they already had a better GC rider in Lopwiz.... Other than the 2024 Tour, Remco's climbing performances and GC results against the big boys is pretty poor.

 

[Berniece]

Red Bull might be regretting the money they spent on Remco, when they already had a better GC rider in Lopwiz.... Other than the 2024 Tour, Remco's climbing performances and GC results against the big boys is pretty poor.

Yeah, they are going to make this conclusion during the UAE Tour already in February

 

[peterfin]

He shouldn't make a goal of winning a race like this - with such a climb - early season when he is physically not in a position to do so. Why he can't just focus on races he obviously can score such as the RVV and MSR is beyond me.

 

[Cycling111]

Red Bull might be regretting the money they spent on Remco, when they already had a better GC rider in Lopwiz.... Other than the 2024 Tour, Remco's climbing performances and GC results against the big boys is pretty poor.

But he wins races that no other rider on his team wins.

The problem is if they only value his signing for win a Tour de France, but even though he'll correct his weakness in the mountains, they know that's very difficult because the tow best riders for that are in another teams.

 

[ashhutch1997]

But he wins races that no other rider on his team wins.

The problem is if they only value his signing for win a Tour de France, but even though he'll correct his weakness in the mountains, they know that's very difficult because the tow best riders for that are in another teams.

Of course he'll win races, he's a fantastic rider, but he isn't on the same stratosphere as Pog or Vingo.

 

[Red Rick]

he admitted he didn't feel good

That's exactly what I mean. He admits nothing in regards to making any mistake. Admitting the result that anyone can see isn't accountability

Not that I think Evenepoel is saying anything wrong either.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Red Bull might be regretting the money they spent on Remco, when they already had a better GC rider in Lopwiz.... Other than the 2024 Tour, Remco's climbing performances and GC results against the big boys is pretty poor.

But you just watch him drop Rasmus Tiller and Jenthe Biermans in Druivenkoers - Overijse this year, and you'll see that he is the next Eddy Merckx. Still will win the tour one day. Refreashing to see a rider of his talent have bad days and good days.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Remco has the perfect build for RVV, why he's skipping it to prepare for the TDF which he has almost no chance of winning is beyond me..

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So Angliru of the Middle East delivered...a punch to Remco. I didn't see this coming. He looked fit and powerful in the previous race. Let's just say that his chances vs Pog in races like MSR or Liege are much better than at the Tour.

Should we resume our usual weight discussion?

 

[Pozzovivo]

Remco has the perfect build for RVV, why he's skipping it to prepare for the TDF which he has almost no chance of winning is beyond me..

He can def win the tour, also this year if Pog has a problem. But you can combine the biggest one day races and stage races as Pog has shown for years. Crazy to see remco not doing all the monuments. Can win them all.

 

[ashhutch1997]

But you just watch him drop Rasmus Tiller and Jenthe Biermans in Druivenkoers - Overijse this year, and you'll see that he is the next Eddy Merckx. Still will win the tour one day. Refreashing to see a rider of his talent have bad days and good days.

I agree, its nice to see a rider of his caliber show he's human, unlike another particular rider...
However I just can't see him winning the Tour, he's not on the same planet as Pog or Vingo. I really rate Remco, but as a GC rider against the big boys he has a pretty poor record.

 

[Cycling111]

Of course he'll win races, he's a fantastic rider, but he isn't on the same stratosphere as Pog or Vingo.

Ayuso neither. Has LIDL also made a mistake?

They're improving what they already had. If they're aware they're not going to win the Tour, they're good signings because they're improving what they had.

 

[ashhutch1997]

He can def win the tour, also this year if Pog has a problem. But you can combine the biggest one day races and stage races as Pog has shown for years. Crazy to see remco not doing all the monuments. Can win them all.

I love your optimism and I'd like to see it, but he'll be lucky to get top 5 IMO.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Ayuso neither. Has LIDL also made a mistake?

Absolutely.

 

[Red Rick]

Ayuso neither. Has LIDL also made a mistake?

They're improving what they already had. If they're aware they're not going to win the Tour, they're good signings because they're improving what they had.

They're not when you're paying way over the odds for what you get.

 

[YavorD]

DoHe can def win the tour, also this year if Pog has a problem. But you can combine the biggest one day races and stage races as Pog has shown for years. Crazy to see remco not doing all the monuments. Can win them all.

Don't think you can, or you have to, use Pogacar as example about what can or can't be done.
He's an outlier and Evenepoel probably has to choose his path being it TT's and small wins (as he does now), being it Stage races, being it one day races.
I actually think he tries to be very good in a few different areas (kinda like Pogacar) and tht hinders his chances to be the best version of himself at any.
Okay, he is probably the best TT rider ever, but I think he should be aiming for bigger things with the talent he has.