UAE Tour 2026, February 16-22

[theyoungest]

I just remembered this interview with Remco.

You can't fault Evenepoel for always being very ambitious, clear about his goals, and very analytical.

The problem is in his analysis there's never room for the obvious: he just wasn't good enough.

 

[ingsve]

Tobias Halland Johannesen looked like he was on the rope early in the climb but managed to stick with it and ended a strong 5th. Nordhagen also very strong.

With also Svestad-Bårdseng up there it's really amazing to have three norwegian climbers in a MTF in the World Tour. This was completely unheard of just a few years ago. And now it might just be the top of the iceberg.

 

[James M]

Just sad by Remco because the form was as good as we can expect early and this suit him and this is what he can do. Gall looked good. And chapou to Plapp looks like what hes spoken about is showing was impressive on Mobrah too.

Del Toro just baited Tiberi, and he fell for it went into the red and got cooked by it. Del Toro cooked himself a bit too I guess, but he had to try to fry the italian.

 

[YavorD]

Seeing Plapp's climb, perhaps Tiberi should have climbed at his own pace like the other day and not gone out on explosive attacks.

Indeed, he probably would have won the overall if he followed his own pace.

 

[canina82]

You can't fault Evenepoel for always being very ambitious, clear about his goals, and very analytical.

The problem is in his analysis there's never room for the obvious: he just wasn't good enough.

I disagree with you. We, as human beings, need to acknowledge our limitations. Saying he is here to win 2 stages + GC and then he performs like this in the mountains, is not ambition, is stupidity.
This just gives me the impression, he doesn't have a clue about his climbing ability.

 

[yaco]

The big loser was Tejada. If he stays stays in the peleton instead of chasing gall he retains a podium. Good ride by Plapp and if he gets through tomorrow then he can rest to Romandie.

 

[theyoungest]

I disagree with you. We, as human beings, need to acknowledge our limitations. Saying he is here to win 2 stages + GC and then he performs like this in the mountains, is not ambition, is stupidity.
This just gives me the impression, he doesn't have a clue about his climbing ability.

Given that he won, what is it, 7 races beforehand, including against riders who are now finishing in front of him, a bit of hybris isn't exactly surprising. After all the media created this narrative as well: who's going to beat Evenepoel here? Turns out, quite a few people.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Yeah. I was dead wrong.
I expected Remco to progress in Redbull.
He has regressed.

kudos for admitting you were wrong. it's rare these days and I applaud you for doing it.

 

[canina82]

Given that he won, what is it, 7 races beforehand, including against riders who are now finishing in front of him, a bit of hybris isn't exactly surprising. After all the media created this narrative as well: who's going to beat Evenepoel here? Turns out, quite a few people.

Those wins don't mean anything specially when those races were completely different compared to UAE mountain stages.
Media is one thing, other is Remco who knows about his true level in the mountains. It's not like he was close to Del Toro or Tiberi, there were 15 more riders better than him in the mountains. At what exactly point in his training, he thought "Yes, I can win one mountain stages in the UAE Tour"?

 

[KoopaCycling]

Those wins don't mean anything specially when those races were completely different compared to UAE mountain stages.
Media is one thing, other is Remco who knows about his true level in the mountains. It's not like he was close to Del Toro or Tiberi, there were 15 more riders better than him in the mountains. At what exactly point in his training, he thought "Yes, I can win one mountain stages in the UAE Tour"?

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

 

[canina82]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

I believe you really don't think that’s a reasonable explanation. Even armchair experts like us know numbers have been increased year after year.

 

[Cycling111]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

This analysis isn't done this way. Plapp isn't better today than Yates was two years ago. The conditions on the climb were simply different; the attacks were launched at different times and at a different pace. Plapp isn't going to be on the Tour podium just because he finished second today.

Just as Remco isn't a better climber than Pantani for posting a faster time.

What he needs to analyze is that eight riders finished ahead of him,

 

[AmRacer]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

Remco's ITT is faster than ever.

 

[Cycling111]

Remco's ITT is faster than ever.

And surely in Valencia he climbed faster than ever the stage he won solo. He simply hasn't had the climbing level for that UAE Tour.

There shouldn't look at the climbig time, but at the gaps between the rivals.