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

[peterfin]

I dunno, in my mind this was the best place to gauge what we can maybe expect from him in the Tour (with a small layer of improvement added for the Tour)

I hoped so too but the reality is that his climbing or even his shape in general was never great in March relative to other top contenders. I don't see how this would be different this time, especially after his struggles in UAE.

May be this changes next year after he integrates better in the RBH trainings and workflows and gets specific climb training and diet but, as we discussed at length here, it may not even be desirable and healthy to have him focus on it for a whole year. Maybe peaking for the summer is what his body allows him to do and for the rest he should focus on what I and others here believe he is really good at: riding the classics and monuments. He is competitive without needing his peak w/kg.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Finishing on the podium literally shows you also have the ability to win

Bro he was over 10 minutes down on a Pogacar who'd done the Giro and Vingegaard who'd literally had a career ending crash and hadn't raced since April.

 

[ColonelKidneyBeans]

Basically what I'm realizing is Remco can win the TdF if he gained Nibali's best ability, the ability to make others fall (vodoo Nibali).

Climbing wise Nibali was as good as it gets from that era during the 2013 Giro and the 2014 Tour. He was also a super strong TTist during GTs and a shrewd rider able to put pressure on his opponents everywhere. His absolute peak was short lived but he was the real deal during those years.

 

[Berniece]

Bro he was over 10 minutes down on a Pogacar who'd done the Giro and Vingegaard who'd literally had a career ending crash and hadn't raced since April.

I'm not saying he's at their level. I'm saying he has the ability to win it. Just like Vingegaard has it.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Bro he was over 10 minutes down on a Pogacar who'd done the Giro and Vingegaard who'd literally had a career ending crash and hadn't raced since April.

So Remco lost to a retired rider? That‘s crazy.

 

[ashhutch1997]

So Remco lost to a retired rider? That‘s crazy.

You know what I mean

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

Lucky?

A single TdF podium finish is always a result of luck. If you can do it consistently, it's a skill.

 

[Berniece]

A single TdF podium finish is always a result of luck. If you can do it consistently, it's a skill.

Well he only rode it twice now. We'll see what this year gives

 

[ashhutch1997]

Well he only rode it twice now. We'll see what this year gives

Super domestique duties after he capitulates on the first big mountain stage.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

People can joke about him being a domestic all they want, but according to the only accurate way of measuring these things (forum poll),, he is clearly the out and out leader of Red Bull Bora.

 

[Berniece]

Super domestique duties after he capitulates on the first big mountain stage.

And he won’t have any problems with that if Lipowitz is the better rider. Showed that in Catalunya too

 

[ashhutch1997]

And he won’t have any problems with that if Lipowitz is the better rider. Showed that in Catalunya too

I can't imagine Red Bull who pay him a huge salary would be particularly happy with that. I'm not a Remco 'hater' btw, I actually think he gets unfair criticism, however he's made himself look like a bit of a tit in Catalunya with his attitude.

 

[Berniece]

I can't imagine Red Bull who pay him a huge salary would be particularly happy with that.

Of course not, like you said he earns too much to be a domestique at the start. I only expect domestique duties if something goes seriously wrong, a crash for example, and he can’t give his all.

If everything goes right, I think he’ll be much better than Lipowitz. He’ll be closer to Pogacar/Vingegaard than in 2024 and then there’s a big gap again to the likes of Lipo, Ayuso, etc