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

[hayneplane]

True, but you still have something rather than nothing to go on. Pogacar won Avenir over Thymen Arensman and Gino Mäder. Not something to predict what Tadej went on to become, but indicative of good climbing genes nonetheless.

There was also Vlasov, Almeida and Felix Gall. I think that’s pretty good for a single edition of an age group race.

 

[James M]

Tiberi and Del Toro were not at altitude before this, however for those who have been keeping their ears to the streets, Swart has been banging quite recently on about some new 'methods' they've been using, saying they are looking to eliminate the need for altitude camps, read into that what you will.

Jonas Vingegaard did not do altitude before the 2023 Vuelta, nor Pogacar before the 2024 Giro, for what it's worth. Heat training does mimic some of the effects, increasing EPO/Hb Mass/efficiency, but someone cleverer than me will need to say to what extent/whether it can be stacked with altitude.

okay i didnt check him but find it weird since he did valencia.

The stuff about Remco is just cope at this point and it is wild to me that people keep running with ‘he just doesn’t bother enough’ nonsense. Hes trying his hardest to be something he inherently isnt, and I dont even blame him for trying. I just find unfathomable that we’re in year 4 still recycling the same excuses sitting in a circle singing kumbaya

 

[AmRacer]

okay i didnt check him but find it weird since he did valencia.

The stuff about Remco is just cope at this point and it is wild to me that people keep running with ‘he just doesn’t bother enough’ nonsense. Hes trying his hardest to be something he inherently isnt, and I dont even blame him for trying. I just find unfathomable that we’re in year 4 still recycling the same excuses sitting in a circle singing kumbaya

It's like Pogi trying to win MSR.

 

[Sciatic]

We are talking about road cyclists here. And he looked fat at the previous race. The pictures you saw do not tell much. Heck, there are people who think Joe Rogan is muscular and not fat.
What I am trying to say is that imho he would be a much better cyclists if he somehow finds enough discipline to lose 5 kg. And he would be both a better one day racer and GT rider

You’ll have to provide more evidence for that claim about one-days races. I mean, if Pogacar wasn’t riding he likely would have won WCs and Lombardia last year. But he’s not beating Pogacar no matter what his weight is—because no one is beating Pogacar. Remco has won LBL, WCs, and Olympic RR.

 

[Berniece]

I know Lidl, decathlon did with Seixas and Ayuso but they wasnt here. Didnt know Tiberi did? But ok ill take your word for it, admitedely I didnt check the cat killer if he did. Del Toro did no altitude camp.

Apparently I was wrong about Tiberi, really thought I read that. My bad.

Del Toro did prepare extensively for UAE Tour, not that all of it matters, Evenepoel just wasn’t good enough.

 

[chickenlips]

I assume you mean it “ain’t going to work for him” when it comes to winning GTs?

Yes. Even though he has won the Vuelta.

 

[AmRacer]

You’ll have to provide more evidence for that claim about one-days races. I mean, if Pogacar wasn’t riding he likely would have won WCs and Lombardia last year. But he’s not beating Pogacar no matter what his weight is—because no one is beating Pogacar. Remco has won LBL, WCs, and Olympic RR.

Remco is strong enough to take the chance when he sees it. He will certainly win some more big races.

 

[canina82]

You’ll have to provide more evidence for that claim about one-days races. I mean, if Pogacar wasn’t riding he likely would have won WCs and Lombardia last year. But he’s not beating Pogacar no matter what his weight is—because no one is beating Pogacar. Remco has won LBL, WCs, and Olympic RR.

It's insane to think Remco only won one race (road race) when Pogacar competed and finished the race (2022 WC). The other 3 times were CSS 2x and LBL. In CSS, Pogacar was just bad meanwhile it's very hard to believe Remco would beat Pogacar in LBL specially when it was pouring that day.

 

[AmRacer]

It's insane to think Remco only won one race (road race) when Pogacar competed and finished the race (2022 WC). The other 3 times were CSS 2x and LBL. In CSS, Pogacar was just bad meanwhile it's very hard to believe Remco would beat Pogacar in LBL specially when it was pouring that day.

And no GC. Remco hasn't raced Mathieu on his domains either.

 

[James M]

Apparently I was wrong about Tiberi, really thought I read that. My bad.

Del Toro did prepare extensively for UAE Tour, not that all of it matters, Evenepoel just wasn’t good enough.

Yes, Del Toro prepared extensively naturally but he didnt do an altitude camp big distinction. Lidl and Decathlon did true. He wasnt and its not the end of the world it takes nothing away from what he is elite at. We saw how easily he dispatched Almeida on 2.5km hills, seixas and co couldnt do that. if anything I think he deserves credit for trying his best at becoming better at something he inherently isnt best at.

I dont even have anything against Remco I constantly praise him for his overall game, which is no easy feat in todays dna of hyper‑specialization it truly isnt. I just dont pretend hes something he isnt for whatever reason either at least not until he shows signs of improvement which he hasnt.

 

[Sciatic]

It's insane to think Remco only won one race (road race) when Pogacar competed and finished the race (2022 WC). The other 3 times were CSS 2x and LBL. In CSS, Pogacar was just bad meanwhile it's very hard to believe Remco would beat Pogacar in LBL specially when it was pouring that day.

I agree--but that's why it seems like it's a moot point what his weight is for those one-day races because he isn't beating Pogacar regardless.

 

[Extinction]

They run 20-30 km daily mostly in fat burning zones. Anyway, we saw how light Remco was in the summer 2024: it resulted in Tour podium and two golds.

Sure, but anltitude AND 60 kg should be much more indicative. I mean 60 kg is a world of difference.

 

[Extinction]

Haven't they tried during the previous seasons? Not RBH but Remco and SQS

Health, with a solid base, I don't think so. He should focus on calorie deprivasion in training. Water and spirit.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Tiberi and Del Toro were not at altitude before this, however for those who have been keeping their ears to the streets, Swart has been banging quite recently on about some new 'methods' they've been using, saying they are looking to eliminate the need for altitude camps, read into that what you will.

Jonas Vingegaard did not do altitude before the 2023 Vuelta, nor Pogacar before the 2024 Giro, for what it's worth. Heat training does mimic some of the effects, increasing EPO/Hb Mass/efficiency, but someone cleverer than me will need to say to what extent/whether it can be stacked with altitude.

I would be interested to know more about this. I find it fascinating that, as altitude camps have been becoming more and more essential for top performance over the past 15 years, the best team in the world now seems to do very little altitude.

I remember swart saying specifically that they know a rider gets more from an altitude camp if he already went to altitude that season. So if you want a rider to fly after his pre-dauph
ine camp, you also send him to altitude before the spring races. This is what visma do, what ineos have been doing for 10 years, dsm, Lidl trek etc .

But then he does the opposite in his own team.

Pocagar hardly does any altitude, McNulty doesn't do altitude, none of del Toro, Almida, cristen, have been to altitude yet this season.