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

[canina82]

Good punch in the end. Not so impressive on the hills, I was expecting him to drop everybody.

 

[Brullnux]

He should go to FW. Without Pogacar, he could win.

Could also fine tune him for Sunday. I doubt it'd hurt, at the very least (barring crashes).

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Could also fine tune him for Sunday. I doubt it'd hurt, at the very least (barring crashes).

With the current route, FW isn't a particularly demanding race compared to other classics. I think Pogacar should also race it, as I said in his thread.
Without Pogacar, Remco should have even more reason to try.

 

[Faserr]

I don't think he can win the sprint. Its too steep and after an easy race there are better puncheurs. He can win solo or from a group.

 

[Jan the Man]

Good win- as expected really so difficult to judge as against prospects for next week.

Much better base and build up than last year but whether that translates into being able to challenge Pog seriously at LBL who knows. Will clearly be much more of a protagonist than last year though so i am looking forward to the battle.

 

[jmdirt]

Congrats RE!
Form looks good!

 

[KoopaCycling]

Good punch in the end. Not so impressive on the hills, I was expecting him to drop everybody.

Same. Well actually after the first time Cauberg i felt he should consider attacking on the flat.
instead he paced the lions share of the work. Though Skjelmose pulled through quite a bit as well.
I'm happy with the victory in a big race, but was also expecting a stronger remco.
Maybe this is simply Remco his ceiling. Curious how he'll race Fleche. No idea how strong a sprinter Seixas is. But after today i would say advantage Seixas on the final climb. Just cause from what little i've seen Seixas seems a stronger climber. LBL will be riding for podium. Unless Pogacar has a bad day.

 

[KenFiamingo]

Same. Well actually after the first time Cauberg i felt he should consider attacking on the flat.
instead he paced the lions share of the work. Though Skjelmose pulled through quite a bit as well.
I'm happy with the victory in a big race, but was also expecting a stronger remco.
Maybe this is simply Remco his ceiling. Curious how he'll race Fleche. No idea how strong a sprinter Seixas is. But after today i would say advantage Seixas on the final climb. Just cause from what little i've seen Seixas seems a stronger climber. LBL will be riding for podium. Unless Pogacar has a bad day.

Yeah, logical podium would be Pogacar, Seixas and Remco (in that order).

 

[vappa]

Yeah, logical podium would be Pogacar, Seixas and Remco (in that order).

I don't think so, neither Seixas nor Remco seems very explosive on short climbs

 

[yaco]

He should go to FW. Without Pogacar, he could win.

I doubt he is punchy enough to win FW.

 

[Jan the Man]

I doubt he is punchy enough to win FW.

Remco can win Fleche but suspect he’d have to do it the unorthodox way by attacking from further out or dragging a small group to the final Muur.

Not convinced he’d win a final shootout up the Muur if it was a big group. It’s not as hard a race generally unlike amstel or the monuments so you have more protagonists able to last to contest a finish

 

[Oldman]

Good punch in the end. Not so impressive on the hills, I was expecting him to drop everybody.

He was working hard to get that gap that allowed time to punk Skejlmose. Putting him on the front with 1km to go after taking a beat to rest was great strategy.

 

[Oldman]

Same. Well actually after the first time Cauberg i felt he should consider attacking on the flat.
instead he paced the lions share of the work. Though Skjelmose pulled through quite a bit as well.
I'm happy with the victory in a big race, but was also expecting a stronger remco.
Maybe this is simply Remco his ceiling. Curious how he'll race Fleche. No idea how strong a sprinter Seixas is. But after today i would say advantage Seixas on the final climb. Just cause from what little i've seen Seixas seems a stronger climber. LBL will be riding for podium. Unless Pogacar has a bad day.

Amstel 2025 showed how to beat Pogacar. Unfortunately, that day it was Matias that kept cool and nipped the sprint. Pogacar appears stronger but PR showed just how well he could be worked.

 

[houtdffan]

Yeah, logical podium would be Pogacar, Seixas and Remco (in that order).

when has Sexias shown he can go the very long distances with Remco? He got absolutely mauled just 6 months ago

 

[KoopaCycling]

In any case, with this his spring season is already okay.
If he can add on to it, it would be great.

 

[AlpRaid]

In any case, with this his spring season is already okay.
If he can add on to it, it would be great.

Agreed: https://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings/season-individual#goog_rewarded

 

[MJR]

I didn't have Remco wins Classic with sprint on my bingo card for today. Nice win!

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

PCS has included him in FW.

 

[canina82]

Agreed: https://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings/season-individual#goog_rewarded

Most points here were conquered by farming small races in Spain. PCS ranking can give us some information but we need to add context.
Del Toro wasn't for sure the second best rider last year. He finished there because he was farming small italian classics all the way to October.

So if we really want to assess his performance this spring/early season, we need to look to his goals:

2 main goals this spring are Volta a Catalunya and LBL.
- Catalunya: failed completely. No stage wins, no podium. He failed his 2 goals in this race.

- LBL: we need to wait.

Looking to other races:
- RVV: got a podium. Good but no cigar. Maybe in the future without those 2 aliens, he can win.

- UAE Tour: A disaster. No other way to say it. Specially when he said before the race, he wanted to win the GC + 2 stages.

- Small races in Spain: weak startlist, even in Valencia, Almeida is not a good puncheur and he is facing a tough season. I don't think these races matter at all. The only relevant thing is how he farmed some points to be at the front in the PCS ranking.

- AGR: This is where the discussion gets interesting. Did it save Remco's spring season if he doesn't win LBL? Or Remco is already such a big rider, that not getting his 2 big goals of the spring, leave him with a mediocre spring season (again if he doesn't win LBL)?

 

[Berniece]

PCS has included him in FW.

They are deciding in the morning depending on how he feels after today. If he isn’t knackered they’ll ride it

 

[AlpRaid]

I didn't have Remco wins Classic with sprint on my bingo card for today. Nice win!

Think back a few years and no one thought he would ever be able to sprint against anyone.

 

[Berniece]

Most points here were conquered by farming small races in Spain. PCS ranking can give us some information but we need to add context.
Del Toro wasn't for sure the second best rider last year. He finished there because he was farming small italian classics all the way to October.

So if we really want to assess his performance this spring/early season, we need to look to his goals:

2 main goals this spring are Volta a Catalunya and LBL.
- Catalunya: failed completely. No stage wins, no podium. He failed his 2 goals in this race.

- LBL: we need to wait.

Looking to other races:
- RVV: got a podium. Good but no cigar. Maybe in the future without those 2 aliens, he can win.

- UAE Tour: A disaster. No other way to say it. Specially when he said before the race, he wanted to win the GC + 2 stages.

- Small races in Spain: weak startlist, even in Valencia, Almeida is not a good puncheur and he is facing a tough season. I don't think these races matter at all. The only thing is farmed some points to be at the front in the PCS ranking.

- AGR: This is where the discussion gets interesting. Did it save Remco's spring season if he doesn't win LBL? Or Remco is already such a big rider, that not getting his 2 big goals of the spring, leave him with a mediocre spring season (again if he doesn't win LBL)?

Let’s say he rides podium in LBL, and does nothing in Flèche. Would mean he won 8 races of which one was AGR, and 2 podiums in a monument. That’s a good spring.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Most points here were conquered by farming small races in Spain. PCS ranking can give us some information but we need to add context.
Del Toro wasn't for sure the second best rider last year. He finished there because he was farming small italian classics all the way to October.

So if we really want to assess his performance this spring/early season, we need to look to his goals:

2 main goals this spring are Volta a Catalunya and LBL.
- Catalunya: failed completely. No stage wins, no podium. He failed his 2 goals in this race.

- LBL: we need to wait.

Looking to other races:
- RVV: got a podium. Good but no cigar. Maybe in the future without those 2 aliens, he can win.

- UAE Tour: A disaster. No other way to say it. Specially when he said before the race, he wanted to win the GC + 2 stages.

- Small races in Spain: weak startlist, even in Valencia, Almeida is not a good puncheur and he is facing a tough season. I don't think these races matter at all. The only relevant thing is how he farmed some points to be at the front in the PCS ranking.

- AGR: This is where the discussion gets interesting. Did it save Remco's spring season if he doesn't win LBL? Or Remco is already such a big rider, that not getting his 2 big goals of the spring, leave him with a mediocre spring season (again if he doesn't win LBL)?

Remco won one of the Top 6-10 one day race in the world this spring, and people can't give props.
That does not make for a spring season of the ages, but it does make his spring season okay.
Not everyone is Pogacar.

Remco wants to ride Fleche. Unless the weather report is that bad and they fear him getting sick or something he rides methinks.

 

[canina82]

Remco won one of the Top 6-10 one day race in the world this spring, and people can't give props.
That does not make for a spring season of the ages, but it does make his spring season okay.
Not everyone is Pogacar.

This is why I questioned you (all members of this forum) if did it save his spring season or not?
How high are standards for Remco? RB gave a lot of money for a double Olympic champion, GT winner, 2x LBL and a 1x WC, is this good enough?
For you, it is okay but I'm pretty sure some people here disagree with you.

 

[Netserk]

Most points here were conquered by farming small races in Spain. PCS ranking can give us some information but we need to add context.
Del Toro wasn't for sure the second best rider last year. He finished there because he was farming small italian classics all the way to October.

So if we really want to assess his performance this spring/early season, we need to look to his goals:

2 main goals this spring are Volta a Catalunya and LBL.
- Catalunya: failed completely. No stage wins, no podium. He failed his 2 goals in this race.

- LBL: we need to wait.

Looking to other races:
- RVV: got a podium. Good but no cigar. Maybe in the future without those 2 aliens, he can win.

- UAE Tour: A disaster. No other way to say it. Specially when he said before the race, he wanted to win the GC + 2 stages.

- Small races in Spain: weak startlist, even in Valencia, Almeida is not a good puncheur and he is facing a tough season. I don't think these races matter at all. The only relevant thing is how he farmed some points to be at the front in the PCS ranking.

- AGR: This is where the discussion gets interesting. Did it save Remco's spring season if he doesn't win LBL? Or Remco is already such a big rider, that not getting his 2 big goals of the spring, leave him with a mediocre spring season (again if he doesn't win LBL)?

win in amstel and podium in ronde is a successful spring when youre not the favourite for liege