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

[Devil's Elbow]

At least four years of trying GCs against the aliens without ever managing better than third, and now he's immediately matched that in his first-ever crack at the cobbles. He won't ever do better than his Vuelta win and Tour podium in the GTs, but he has so much he can still achieve in the monuments, perhaps even more than we thought before today. If I were him, I would stop trying to be a climber sooner rather than later.

It also really makes you wonder what could have been had Soudal started building a classics squad around Evenepoel when they were still the team to beat on the cobbles.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

At least four years of trying GCs against the aliens without ever managing better than third, and now he's immediately matched that in his first-ever crack at the cobbles. He won't ever do better than his Vuelta win and Tour podium in the GTs, but he has so much he can still achieve in the monuments, perhaps even more than we thought before today. If I were him, I would stop trying to be a climber sooner rather than later.

Aldag on German ES pointed out, and I fear he is right, that his employer didn't invest so much money for someone who want's to put classics first, giving up on GC aspirations.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

There is no reason to not continue with the plan for this season, meaning Ardenne -> then climbing preparations for the Tour and then WC/Lombardia in the autumn.

Then next season ride like Strade, San Remo, E3/G-W, Ronde and perhaps Roubaix.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Aldag on German ES pointed out, and I fear he is right, that his employer didn't invest so much money for someone who want's to put classics first, giving up on GC aspirations.

Unless there's a clause in his contract that forces him to try for GCs, what exactly can RB do if Evenepoel puts his foot down? Because a breakdown in relations causing an early exit is way worse for RB than it is for Evenepoel.

And Evenepoel being the world's most luxury stagehunter at the Tour isn't exactly commercially worse than him managing a fourth place behind Pogacar, Vingegaard and Seixas, which will be his ceiling two years from now. A ceiling we already know he will frequently fall short of at that.

 

[KoopaCycling]

The reality is, the only gap in the monuments remco has contested has been (mostly) with Pogacar.
There is no need to fully change gears to one day racing in that perspective.

San Remo - unnecessary
Flanders - maybe by changing climbing focus
Roubaix - added weight might help on the cobbles, that is about it
LBL - unnecessary
Lombardia - unnecessary

So i don't see the whole debate about changing it all up. I think the debate is more about calender choices.

 

[AmRacer]

The reality is, the only gap in the monuments remco has contested has been (mostly) with Pogacar.
There is no need to fully change gears to one day racing in that perspective.

San Remo - unnecessary
Flanders - maybe by changing climbing focus
Roubaix - added weight might help on the cobbles, that is about it
LBL - unnecessary
Lombardia - unnecessary

So i don't see the whole debate about changing it all up. I think the debate is more about calender choices.

Almost isn't the same as winning.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Almost isn't the same as winning.

True. Very big difference. My point was, switching gears won't help him in 3 of the 5.
And he can beat riders not named Pogacar as is, on the other 2 already.
Is the slight chance of beating Pogacar on those 2 monuments worth switching gears when it probably will also be detrimental for Lombardia? And will cost him the chance of winning GC's?

Contradictory i'm also fully aware of it being beneficial to his career to maybe make a clear cut choice. Either fully prepare for the one day races and try and win those or lose some muscle mass in the right places and try and discover where that will take you climbing wise for GC.

At least this year the point is moot. Both remco and Red Bull have chosen to keep the status quo and see what better prep gets them. Plus I think Remco will want that 4th in a row TT title. So losing muscle mass was never an option this year.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Unless there's a clause in his contract that forces him to try for GCs, what exactly can RB do if Evenepoel puts his foot down? Because a breakdown in relations causing an early exit is way worse for RB than it is for Evenepoel.

Well, not everyone takes millions and just yolo's it. But I'd also not be surprised if there were specifications about the Race Program in the contract, from both sides.

And Evenepoel being the world's most luxury stagehunter at the Tour isn't exactly commercially worse than him managing a fourth place behind Pogacar, Vingegaard and Seixas, which will be his ceiling two years from now. A ceiling we already know he will frequently fall short of at that.

I don't disagree with you, there is a case to be made. Remco stage hunting and helping at the Tour could be what happens in the end anyway. But I don't think he himself will want to give up untill he got another shot with a proper preperation.

 

[Red Rick]

At least four years of trying GCs against the aliens without ever managing better than third, and now he's immediately matched that in his first-ever crack at the cobbles. He won't ever do better than his Vuelta win and Tour podium in the GTs, but he has so much he can still achieve in the monuments, perhaps even more than we thought before today. If I were him, I would stop trying to be a climber sooner rather than later.

It also really makes you wonder what could have been had Soudal started building a classics squad around Evenepoel when they were still the team to beat on the cobbles.

I don't see a reason he can't do both, unless he wants to try to win the Giro.

The sacrifice is stop racing Catalunya and Itzulia, where he has a total of 0 wins

 

[peterfin]

His result for a first RVV is impressive knowing that he had to fight against a duo in front of him and behind him in windy confitions. It's a pitty Pogacar made sure he couldn't come back after he lost some time on that steep section but it shows he has the stamina to grind his way back if it would be a mano a mano fight. He does need to put work in those cobbled climbs though if he wants to be in a better position to win the race. And of course, to beat Pogacar in a race like this you need some luck too.

 

[Lorzenz08]

Great ride by Evenepoel !

I expected this result, but still impressed as so many things could have gone wrong as it is also the first time he races RVV.

With that said he doesnt look very comfortable on the cobbles, quite bouncy compared to even Pogacar (small weight gap). Im afraid it will continue to be a problem and be a big hindrance if he wants beat them one day.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I don't see a reason he can't do both, unless he wants to try to win the Giro.

The sacrifice is stop racing Catalunya and Itzulia, where he has a total of 0 wins

The problem is not that classics and Tour GCs are inherently incompatible (because they aren't), but rather that Evenepoel needs a really specific preparation to not crash and burn in GT GCs, and that's difficult to combine with a long form peak from Sanremo to Liège.

 

[AmRacer]

True. Very big difference. My point was, switching gears won't help him in 3 of the 5.
And he can beat riders not named Pogacar as is, on the other 2 already.
Is the slight chance of beating Pogacar on those 2 monuments worth switching gears when it probably will also be detrimental for Lombardia? And will cost him the chance of winning GC's?

Yeah, GC will be lost, but it's not like he has won one recently anyway.

Who knows, maybe he can be a lot closer to Pogi in 4 of 5 monuments. He could win MSR in similar way Pogi did, but he must start trying. It took Pogi a while to figure it out and make it work.

 

[Red Rick]

The problem is not that classics and Tour GCs are inherently incompatible (because they aren't), but rather that Evenepoel needs a really specific preparation to not crash and burn in GT GCs, and that's difficult to combine with a long form peak from Sanremo to Liège.

I don't think Sanremo real peaking. It's just a pubcrawl into Cipressa.

 

[vappa]

He showed he's up their with the best specialists today, who will be the same at Roubaix. Perhaps not doing recon as you say could be a hazard, but Roubaix is insidious to all. My point is that the Ardennes, at least Liege, the big one, looks out of reach with Tadej. So I think Roubaix could be good for him to be there, plus it's good for cycling.

Last year Pogacar did prepare for Roubaix, had clear line of sight because he was 1st and still missed a corner and crashed. There's no way Remco doesn't crash if he goes to Roubaix

 

[Extinction]

Last year Pogacar did prepare for Roubaix, had clear line of sight because he was 1st and still missed a corner and crashed. There's no way Remco doesn't crash if he goes to Roubaix

And there's no way he crashes at Roubaix if he doesn't go.

 

[vappa]

At least four years of trying GCs against the aliens without ever managing better than third, and now he's immediately matched that in his first-ever crack at the cobbles. He won't ever do better than his Vuelta win and Tour podium in the GTs, but he has so much he can still achieve in the monuments, perhaps even more than we thought before today. If I were him, I would stop trying to be a climber sooner rather than later.

It also really makes you wonder what could have been had Soudal started building a classics squad around Evenepoel when they were still the team to beat on the cobbles.

His problem is that I don't think he can drop MvdP on Oude Kwaremont, and he'll always lose a sprint then. Of course, MvdP won't last forever and neither will his peak but even in a few years Remco would still have to deal with Pogacar

 

[vappa]

And there's no way he crashes at Roubaix if he doesn't go.

What can he achieve there? He clearly isn't great on cobbles and if he crashes (very likely) his season or at least LBL, where he has more chance of winning, could be wasted

 

[memyselfandI]

True. Very big difference. My point was, switching gears won't help him in 3 of the 5.
And he can beat riders not named Pogacar as is, on the other 2 already.
Is the slight chance of beating Pogacar on those 2 monuments worth switching gears when it probably will also be detrimental for Lombardia? And will cost him the chance of winning GC's?

Contradictory i'm also fully aware of it being beneficial to his career to maybe make a clear cut choice. Either fully prepare for the one day races and try and win those or lose some muscle mass in the right places and try and discover where that will take you climbing wise for GC.

At least this year the point is moot. Both remco and Red Bull have chosen to keep the status quo and see what better prep gets them. Plus I think Remco will want that 4th in a row TT title. So losing muscle mass was never an option this year.

Remco has (theoretically because we dont know real weights) one kg less weight than Pogi in his weight/height ratio comparison.

Meaning if Pogi was same height as Remco, Pogi would weight one kg more what Remco weights now. So there's no reason for Remco to cut weight because even that kg more wins 'everything'.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

His problem is that I don't think he can drop MvdP on Oude Kwaremont, and he'll always lose a sprint then. Of course, MvdP won't last forever and neither will his peak but even in a few years Remco would still have to deal with Pogacar

Van der Poel, Pogacar and Evenepoel coming together after Paterberg - or after Poggio or Carrefour de l'Arbre, for that matter - does not end in a three-up sprint by default.

 

[Extinction]

It's funny folks saying Remco's bad on the cobbles, when he got third, not fifty-third. Ok, sure, he wasn't as good as Pogi or MvdP, but those are the absolute tops on the pavé. He was at least as good as WvA and Peterson, so he absolutely doesn't suck. Roubaix is a different beast, but those are the guys he can try to follow

 

[peterfin]

In his Sporza interview he hinted at riding Roubaix next week but apparantly it's not decided yet.

 

[Extinction]

What can he achieve there? He clearly isn't great on cobbles and if he crashes (very likely) his season or at least LBL, where he has more chance of winning, could be wasted

Well, he's not winning LBL against Pog. I just think it's time to try new things. Everbody can crash at Roubaix. If that's the main prohibitive issue then nobody should race it, but that's ridiculous. And if he crashes maybe it's just a banged up body, nothing serious. Maybe he can achieve to 10. Was Colbreli such a phenomenon on the pavé? Is Top-Gun Ganna a master at it? And yet they got good results.

 

[Berniece]

Beautiful race, and he rode very well. I mean staying at 20s for so long against those two… very well done.

I expected more from him, and I have no clue why he feels the need to put in any work, but it wouldn’t have influenced the race. This is a good first step for winning cobbled monuments. Hope he does more of them next year, and takes a step forward. He isn’t missing a lot, and this is a good first step.

 

[houtdffan]

Aldag on German ES pointed out, and I fear he is right, that his employer didn't invest so much money for someone who want's to put classics first, giving up on GC aspirations.

he doesn't have to give up on GC to ride a solid classics campaign.

Now, he may need to put giro/tour double dreams to bed