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

[VayaVayaVaya]

Right. Hence he started poorly but then (this was implied) found his form and put up some good, even great, performances.

 

[Berniece]

1. If you finish 2nd in Lombardy, WC and EC last year, this climb isn't too steep, nor too long.
2. The guys he beat last week, performed really well this week. Tiberi in UAE, Almeida in Algarve. Evenepoel in in Valencia should always have been a podium contender in UAE. At least.
3. He mentioned a lack of freshness. Give me a break.

Either way, there's cause for concern.

I agree, but also last year pre-altitude was Tour of Britain which was underwhelming. Post-altitude was everything you just said

 

[CyclistAbi]

Remco is know to fluctuate a bit in term of week long stage racing so i wouldn't put too much thought into it, one race. He has to improve, though.

 

[Oldman]

Remco is know to fluctuate a bit in term of week long stage racing so i wouldn't put too much thought into it, one race. He has to improve, though.

It does speak to the added challenges and training necessary to be relevant in a GT. The top 3 steps for all major tours always reveal those that can endure and recover even if they are not judged the strongest.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

I read he thinks he may have been a little bit ill the past few days.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I agree with the general consensus that he's not a natural climber and he will always fight an uphill battle trying to win grand tours. The 2022 vuelta was very very easy. One of the great attacking classics riders and time triallists of all time.

At the same time, I think people read a bit too much into a race in February. Vingegard was dropped by a bunch of teenagers on malhao last year and still won a GT

There's way too much disrespect to Quickstep in the last 2 years. They know how to get riders in shape, they are not amateurs. Bora meanwhile doesn't know what to do with all their new money. Remco has not joined some super team with better methods, that part is clear.

 

[AmRacer]

Remco has not joined some super team with better methods, that part is clear.

Remco maybe felt he needed something new, getting a new start and different methods to be a better rider.
It's too early to judge if it was a smart move.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Remco maybe felt he needed something new, getting a new start and different methods to be a better rider.
It's too early to judge if it was a smart move.

I completely agree with the last statement, but If I understood the news correctly, he also brought over "his own crew" from QS?

 

[Pozzovivo]

not a natural climber and he will always fight an uphill battle

ba dum tss...

 

[Gratemans]

Thread title should be changed to "He's the best if not for [insert excuse]"

 

[Cycling111]

I agree with the general consensus that he's not a natural climber and he will always fight an uphill battle trying to win grand tours. The 2022 vuelta was very very easy. One of the great attacking classics riders and time triallists of all time.

At the same time, I think people read a bit too much into a race in February. Vingegard was dropped by a bunch of teenagers on malhao last year and still won a GT

There's way too much disrespect to Quickstep in the last 2 years. They know how to get riders in shape, they are not amateurs. Bora meanwhile doesn't know what to do with all their new money. Remco has not joined some super team with better methods, that part is clear.

Well, Vingegard had more than enough credentials to think that Mahao's situation was somewhat anecdotal.

What you say about Quick-Step is true. Landa had a disastrous Tour in 2023 with Bahrain, and he was splendid with Quick-Step in 2024. Quick-Step didn't have climbers, but the only two good drivers they had for a GT finished third and fifth, being Landa's result a significant improvement compared to the previous year.

That's noticeable if we compare how their sprinters are doing elsewhere. The most extreme case is Jakobsen.But there are other cases like Gaviria. And even though these riders leave, they always succeed with someone new, now Magnier. Quick-Step also needs to restructure, surely they´ll win again with that type of rider that has always worked so well for them.

 

[peterfin]

Remco has not joined some super team with better methods, that part is clear.

He basically just started out with the team. RBH can't have a significant impact on his performance yet.

Actually, the net result might even be negative at the moment as they still need to build all the data and are testing stuff such as that 68T chainring Remco was complaining about.

 

[Unchained]

Thread title should be changed to "He's the best if not for [insert excuse]"

[ too hot]
[ too steep]
[ feel sick]
[ air conditioner didn't work]
[ no team support]
[ Roglic and Lipo not there to help]
[ gold accents on bike are heavy and not aero]
[ other riders are beating me, not showing me the respect that I think I deserve]

 

[AmRacer]

I completely agree with the last statement, but If I understood the news correctly, he also brought over "his own crew" from QS?

Yes, he did.

 

[houtdffan]

I completely agree with the last statement, but If I understood the news correctly, he also brought over "his own crew" from QS?

yeah, only he's even more insulated as he also brought Sven over from the Belgian national team

It's the same knuckleheads calling tactics for Remco that have called them in the past few years

 

[Berniece]

I completely agree with the last statement, but If I understood the news correctly, he also brought over "his own crew" from QS?

Just a mechanic, masseur and one DS. Besides the DS there’s nothing that specifically keeps him in performing similarly as with SOQ.

 

[jmdirt]

If I read topcats new thread correctly, they think that this is a one off for RE.