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

[Berniece]

How much did Evenepoel weigh in the 2022 Vuelta? Is it really that hard for him to obtain his physique and legs from San Sebastian and Vuelta 2022?

61.5-62kg.

You know what the dumb part is. He was weighing 59 or 60kg when he started Giro 2021. When he eventually collapsed completely after 9-10 stages? The team thinks it was because he was weighing only 59-60kg, and didn’t start to think that maybe just maybe they rushed him towards that Giro. He was just coming back from a possible career ending crash, Evenepoel himself started training too quickly, and then still rushed him towards the Giro without any racing beforehand. So now they think he has to weigh enough to be competitive instead of realising it was having no base, just like last year when he quit TDF.

It’s not like Evenepoel is actually fat, he’s lean, just lose the muscles. Train differently. And be aware that if ride LBL you are doing as much altitude meters as you would do in a mountain stage in the TDF. It all counts. The peloton is extremely fast, every hill is being drilled, we don’t ride like we did pre-corona. So lose the weight OR be happy with your current palmares because monuments, WC’s and GT’s aren’t being added anymore, which is the only thing relevant for someone with his palmares.

 

[Oldman]

61.5-62kg.

You know what the dumb part is. He was weighing 59 or 60kg when he started Giro 2021. When he eventually collapsed completely after 9-10 stages? The team thinks it was because he was weighing only 59-60kg, and didn’t start to think that maybe just maybe they rushed him towards that Giro. He was just coming back from a possible career ending crash, Evenepoel himself started training too quickly, and then still rushed him towards the Giro without any racing beforehand. So now they think he has to weigh enough to be competitive instead of realising it was having no base, just like last year when he quit TDF.

It’s not like Evenepoel is actually fat, he’s lean, just lose the muscles. Train differently. And be aware that if ride LBL you are doing as much altitude meters as you would do in a mountain stage in the TDF. It all counts. The peloton is extremely fast, every hill is being drilled, we don’t ride like we did pre-corona. So lose the weight OR be happy with your current palmares because monuments, WC’s and GT’s aren’t being added anymore, which is the only thing relevant for someone with his palmares.

Comparing him to other climbers generally focuses on weight alone when skeletal and muscle stature are fully on display to see. Most climbers are much smaller in biceps, shoulder and chest size than Remco. He can train to atrophy muscles but there is only so much healthy reduction he can accomplish with that stocky frame. Too much and he won't last 2 weeks into a GT without a gradual power balance from where he is.
Guys like Armstrong started from scratch with much chemistry and specific techniques that are, thankfully; totally illegal. It's a bit much to flog that same horse with Evenepoel.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

For me, there are some reasons:
1 - He is overrated as a climber/puncheur (climbing in general). Not close to Pogacar but there was always this talk about him being close to Pogacar. Even yesterday, you had Taxus saying Pogacar never showed to be better than Remco in these short hills.

2 - Mental block. Somehow he thought he could actually win this race but UAE/Pogacar came back and in his mind, he lost the chance of winning the race.

3 - Overweight.

I'm not really convinced by number 3, like he was fine in Amstel, and last year at season end with a similar weight (from eyetest) he managed 2nd in Lombardy. Number 1 partially, but it's not like he was dropped only by Pogacar and Seixas, he was basically no factor on the climbs untill the small hill after RAF, untill that point he was racing like MvdP in 2024. Number 2 seems like the most likely to me, also considering what happened last year and at Kigali.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Team has done well across the board this year.

Red Bull is performing very well this year. The team's problem is that they are almost always the strongest team, but they almost never have the strongest leader of the race.

 

[AmRacer]

We shall see and Catalunya was not just prep for De Ronde, but also for Remco's Ardennes campaign. I think Pog won't be optimally prepared for Liege, having ridden PR and no stage race thus far. If Remco has a super day he can challenge Pogacar.

🤐

 

[Valv.Piti]

Red Bull is performing very well this year. The team's problem is that they are almost always the strongest team, but they almost never have the strongest leader of the race.

Yes, but the Roglic-fan was trying to blame Red Bull as a whole. Lots of its riders are doing very well this season

 

[AmRacer]

So, what can we expect Remco winning the rest of the season? A couple of ITT's, a stage or two,...

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yes, but the Roglic-fan was trying to blame Red Bull as a whole. Lots of its riders are doing very well this season

When Remco was waiving Jai was sitting back in the group.

 

[ppanther92]

The thing is (and those things are hard to predict anyway) - Red Bull bought him as a future Tour winner (and someone that wins a few monuments on the side). I don't see him close to either at the moment. Tour looks totally unrealistic. Monument - a lot would have to happen.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Please can people never mention Remco in the same sentence again.

 

[jmdirt]

Please can people never mention Remco in the same sentence again.

In the same sentence with what?

 

[jmdirt]

Comparing him to other climbers generally focuses on weight alone when skeletal and muscle stature are fully on display to see. Most climbers are much smaller in biceps, shoulder and chest size than Remco. He can train to atrophy muscles but there is only so much healthy reduction he can accomplish with that stocky frame. Too much and he won't last 2 weeks into a GT without a gradual power balance from where he is.
Guys like Armstrong started from scratch with much chemistry and specific techniques that are, thankfully; totally illegal. It's a bit much to flog that same horse with Evenepoel.

That has been my assertion for several years: he is a professional cyclist with nearly limitless resources so why can't he 1) stay closer to his 'ideal' race weight, 2) reduce his 'ideal' race weight if needed. Using the eye test, he came into the season closer to his 'ideal' race weight this year (several reasons for that).

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I'm not really convinced by number 3, like he was fine in Amstel

He was fine in Amstel last year, as well. Liege is a vastly different race.

 

[Brullnux]

For me, there are some reasons:
1 - He is overrated as a climber/puncheur (climbing in general). Not close to Pogacar but there was always this talk about him being close to Pogacar. Even yesterday, you had Taxus saying Pogacar never showed to be better than Remco in these short hills.

2 - Mental block. Somehow he thought he could actually win this race but UAE/Pogacar came back and in his mind, he lost the chance of winning the race.

3 - Overweight.

I don't think he's necessarily overrated as a climber per se, at the back end of last year he was coming comfortable 2nd in every hilly to mountainous race to Pogacar.

But I do think his climbing shape this calendar year has been really poor. Catalunya was bad, UAE Tour even worse. When he was doing his best Liege-Bastogne-Lieges, he wasn't climbing as badly as he has been over longer climbs. The exception is maybe 2022 Tirreno, but he then followed it up with Itzulia where he was good.

i don't know if he focused too much on Ronde, or what. Of course, his best climbing form was pre-crash so that might have something to do with it, but I think he got back to close to that last Autumn. He's taken a step back so far

 

[AlpRaid]

He was fine in Amstel last year, as well. Liege is a vastly different race.

he was already on a downward spiral.

 

[peterfin]

The thing is (and those things are hard to predict anyway) - Red Bull bought him as a future Tour winner (and someone that wins a few monuments on the side). I don't see him close to either at the moment. Tour looks totally unrealistic. Monument - a lot would have to happen.

If they brought him as a tour and monument winner, they should have a plan and start working to that goal. It's not going to work if they keep him doing his own thing with his group of yes-men. It's both on him and the team.

Denk said in a article this weekend that they know his physics very well, prior to him signing up, and they have an idea where they can get him to be in a position to win those races. Well, if his unstable weight is an issue, they should give him a reasonable target with a proper plan. If his 3-5 min climbs are critical for his spring season, they should give that proper focus. If he has a mental block going in the red zone on such a short climb, maybe due to past experiences that may not even be relevant, they should give him the mental training he needs. Etc.

We know Vingegaard does exactly what they tell him. Pogacar learned that he should follow the script. I am sure Remco is all ears too when it comes to his TT work, something he can better control. It's time he listens to the experts and accepts changes to his program, training, diet and anything else needed to max out his capabilities. I doubt he is doing this today. I hope a race like today makes this very clear to him and the team.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

In the same sentence with what?

It's dangerous to mention Remco twice in a single sentence, because two aero bullets colliding might make a Tornado. That's what happens before Remco start's his trademark waving and complaning for example.