Tour de Romandie, April 29th - May 4th

[Cycling111]

I'd be quite surprised if it were. Or rather I should I'm quite sure it won't be his best. I'd be mildly surprised if he wins tomorrow, but at his best he trounces this field.

For me, he's still the favorite, but I wouldn't be that surprised if happens the same thing as in Switzerland.

If tomorrow were the first stage, I wouldn't have any doubts, but after a stage like today's I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[Andre]

I think Remco might still win the stage tomorrow

 

[AmRacer]

It’s almost as if he didn’t only start riding his bike in February in your eyes

2-3 months of training.

 

[Peyroteo94]

...take a look at the results, you'll find them

What I suspected, no answer.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Who are those "excellent climbers"?

Don't disrespect my man Higuita like that. He's just returned from injury.

 

[Peyroteo94]

There is zero doubts in my mind, Remco will be better (in the high mountains) in the Tour than everyone who was here but this race just showed again he is not a natural climber and needs time to compete in the mountains.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What is there to love about that?

Biggest tool in cycling.

O'Connor about to throw another tantrum that somebody thought another person to be better than him?

 

[Cycling111]

By being realistic?

Do you really think that if he could´ve finished 30 seconds behind today and won the GC tomorrow, he wouldn't have done it?

He simply couldn't have been with Carlos Rodriguez, Vine, and Fortunato today. By finishing with them, he could have won the overall. A winner like him, wasn't going to give that up to help Junior Lecerf finish in the top10 in GC.

I have no doubt that he will be on the podium at the TDF, but today he couldn't.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ben Swift climbing level disrespect is absolutely unacceptable in this thread, can't believe what I'm seeing. That man has top 18ed the Giro as a domestique and Evenepoel put MINUTES into him today.

 

[Cycling111]

There is zero doubts in my mind, Remco will be better (in the high mountains) in the Tour than everyone who was here but this race just showed again he is not a natural climber and needs time to compete in the mountains.

I think similar.
Carlos Rodriguez just returned from injury and finished in the top five today. Without injury, he would´ve challenged for the win, but he still looked good today because he's a climber.

Remco has to be at 100%, like he was at the TDF, to achieve a good result in the mountains.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

There is zero doubts in my mind, Remco will be better (in the high mountains) in the Tour than everyone who was here but this race just showed again he is not a natural climber and needs time to compete in the mountains.

Just power, weight, incline and time. That's all that matters. "Natural climber" means nothing when the numbers don't go your way.
As for the rest of your post, i don't think there is anybody who is disagreeing with that.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Just power, weight, incline and time. That's all that matters. "Natural climber" means nothing when the numbers don't go your way.
As for the rest of your post, i don't think there is anybody who is disagreeing with that.

A natural climber is someone who can be at his best in the mountains easily. Remco can't do it, Ullrich the same, etc. This doesn't mean when it matters, Remco won't be a better climber than everyone else bar 2 or 3 riders.

 

[tobydawq]

Being a good teammate? Easy to manage for the directors?
Biggest tool in cycling???? Seriously?? Let me guess, you hate him because he's good at zwift.

I dislike him because he acts as an absolute jerk to interviewers.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Same time up the climb as 2023 Adam Yates apparently

 

[Cycling111]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1918685904132055355

View: https://x.com/faustocoppi60/status/1918685904132055355

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

A natural climber is someone who can be at his best in the mountains easily. Remco can't do it, Ullrich the same, etc. This doesn't mean when it matters, Remco won't be a better climber than everyone else bar 2 or 3 riders.

I know what you mean, but it's meaningless in itself. In Evenepoel's case, this is almost entirely down to weight and injuries. If he were able to not crash and keep his weight closer to 60-61, would you then suddenly consider him a natural climber? It's a hollow term.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I know what you mean, but it's meaningless in itself. In Evenepoel's case, this is almost entirely down to weight and injuries. If he were able to not crash and keep his weight closer to 60-61, would you then suddenly consider him a natural climber? It's a hollow term.

That's the problem: he can never maintain really low weight for a long time (to be a contender in the mountains all year long). Term natural climber is maybe an over simplification, as you said it's all about power, weight and incline. But in case of Remco this is some issue.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That's the problem: he can never maintain really low weight for a long time (to be a contender in the mountains all year long). Term natural climber is maybe an over simplification, as you said it's all about power, weight and incline. But in case of Remco this is some issue.

The thing is, people consider plenty of riders who finished behind him being off form today, to be natural climbers. Again showing the term in itself is meaningless. Vlasov, Gaudu, Onley, Higuita... are more "natural climbers" but didn't do better today. He needs to manage his weight. That's the issue.

 

[Berniece]

Do you really think that if he could´ve finished 30 seconds behind today and won the GC tomorrow, he wouldn't have done it?

No, I never said that. He knew he would blow himself up, wouldn’t be able to follow and thus wouldn’t win the GC, so he helped his teammate.

A lot of people expected this too, so not sure why people are think fans are optimistic.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He needs to manage his weight. That's the issue.

100% agreed.

 

[kingjr]

The thing is, people consider plenty of riders who finished behind him being off form today, to be natural climbers. Again showing the term in itself is meaningless. Vlasov, Gaudu, Onley, Higuita... are more "natural climbers" but didn't do better today. He needs to manage his weight. That's the issue.

What "natural climber" often ends up meaning in practice is "riders who are really only good at climbing."

 

[Peyroteo94]

What "natural climber" often ends up meaning in practice is "riders who are really only good at climbing."

Pogacar and Vingegaard are natural climbers. They don't need to practise a lot to show a good level in the mountains.

 

[Netserk]

What "natural climber" often ends up meaning in practice is "riders who are really only good at climbing."

I think the term applies to Vingegaard and Contador and not to Froome. But I don't think only being good at climbing is what distinguishes the former two from the latter.

 

[kingjr]

I think the term applies to Vingegaard and Contador and not to Froome. But I don't think only being good at climbing is what distinguishes the former two from the latter.

But how does it apply to Vingegaard and Contador and not to Froome?

 

[Netserk]

But how does it apply to Vingegaard and Contador and not to Froome?

Climbing style mostly (I also think it's indicative of non-stylish features). You don't see Vingegaard attack by staying seated and spinning a small gear.