What place will Remco get in RVV?

[vappa]

MVDP came back from illness and a crash. Saying Evenepoel isn't explosive uphill when he has won uphill sprints is a bit weird, but we'll see how it goes this Sunday

He's explosive against non Pogacar GC riders, not against Pogacar or MvdP. Same as Jonas, explosive against GC guys but since we constantly compare him with Pogacar he doesn't seem to be

 

[Ulle97]

You can interpret UEC RR however you want. I'm just stating facts, while you are trying to get in the mind of Pogacar, and guess what he was doing.

About my confidence. This is De Ronde van Vlaanderen, not Lombardia. Total elevation is 2.000 meters, and the Oude Kwaremont is 2km's long, but only 500m are a bit tough. There's a reason why MVDP is able to match Pogacar here. When you do a lot of long climbs, UAE is able to completely suffocate everyone, and then Pogacar attacks. Here the climbs are much shorter. I have no reason to believe Evenepoel will get dropped if he's just able to position well, and not lose unnecessary energy.

Would the WC RR in Scotland be a concern for you? There were repeated short, steep climbs. Remco eventually caved in.
I'm just trying to think of a similar parcours. Eg a one day race with short climbs.

IIRC Pogacar and VDP left him in their wake.

 

[houtdffan]

Would the WC RR in Scotland be a concern for you? There were repeated short, steep climbs. Remco eventually caved in.
I'm just trying to think of a similar parcours. Eg a one day race with short climbs.

IIRC Pogacar and VDP left him in their wake.

far more cornering in that race

 

[Berniece]

Would the WC RR in Scotland be a concern for you? There were repeated short, steep climbs. Remco eventually caved in.
I'm just trying to think of a similar parcours. Eg a one day race with short climbs.

IIRC Pogacar and VDP left him in their wake.

I think the issue there was mostly cornering

 

[Gigs_98]

More like the Alexander Zverev

Thats just being mean to Evenepoel

 

[Lorzenz08]

My bet is 3rd or 4th

 

[Gigs_98]

There is barely any result that would shock me. I guess if he wins it would be shocking in the sense that Pogacar and MvdP didn't win, but I think the gap between those to and Van Aert is bigger than the one from Van Aert to Evenepoel. The best TTer in the world simply always has a path to victory even when his chances aren't exactly great.

That being said, I think of the options in the poll finishing outside the top 20 is actually the most likely. I think Pogacar always lets people forget that largely the peloton is actually still very specialized and its not easy to both be a gc rider and a cobbles classics guy. If he is doing a lot early but exhausts himself and arrives with a bigger group around 20th place, I would not find that surprising at all.

 

[red_flanders]

Anything from a win to crash is possible. Most likely? I voted top 5. I'd say top 20, but if he makes it to the end, are there really 10-19 guys stronger? Don't think so.

 

[Netserk]

There is barely any result that would shock me. I guess if he wins it would be shocking in the sense that Pogacar and MvdP didn't win, but I think the gap between those to and Van Aert is bigger than the one from Van Aert to Evenepoel. The best TTer in the world simply always has a path to victory even when his chances aren't exactly great.

That being said, I think of the options in the poll finishing outside the top 20 is actually the most likely. I think Pogacar always lets people forget that largely the peloton is actually still very specialized and its not easy to both be a gc rider and a cobbles classics guy. If he is doing a lot early but exhausts himself and arrives with a bigger group around 20th place, I would not find that surprising at all.

cf jorgenson finishing 31st and 47th the past two editions

 

[Red Rick]

There is barely any result that would shock me. I guess if he wins it would be shocking in the sense that Pogacar and MvdP didn't win, but I think the gap between those to and Van Aert is bigger than the one from Van Aert to Evenepoel. The best TTer in the world simply always has a path to victory even when his chances aren't exactly great.

That being said, I think of the options in the poll finishing outside the top 20 is actually the most likely. I think Pogacar always lets people forget that largely the peloton is actually still very specialized and its not easy to both be a gc rider and a cobbles classics guy. If he is doing a lot early but exhausts himself and arrives with a bigger group around 20th place, I would not find that surprising at all.

Pogacar isn't the only sub 70kg rider doing well in RVV though, and we can even go back to the likes of Valverde and Nibali contesting the finales.

I really don't think RVV is that specialized, it just excludes climbers because why the *** would they can't get a result in a race where the final 15km is flat and where they at best might get in the 1st chase group based on the hills.

And if you wanna classify it as a hilly race of attrition, Evenepoel at least got the attrition part down.

I think barring crashes or badly timed mechanicals I don't see any reason to expect Evenepoel to not be among the 5 strongest riders in the finale.

 

[topcat]

To old to have heard about him 👍

*only watched tennis when it was cool

 

[Red Rick]

Thats just being mean to Evenepoel

If you think I'm mean to Evenepoel I'm much, much meaner to Zverev.... which probably disproves the comparison.

Spoiler

Zverev lost at the USO, which means today is one of my 4 favorite days of the year. The other 3 are when Zverev loses at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon

 

[theyoungest]

Pogacar isn't the only sub 70kg rider doing well in RVV though, and we can even go back to the likes of Valverde and Nibali contesting the finales.

I really don't think RVV is that specialized, it just excludes climbers because why the *** would they can't get a result in a race where the final 15km is flat and where they at best might get in the 1st chase group based on the hills.

And if you wanna classify it as a hilly race of attrition, Evenepoel at least got the attrition part down.

I think barring crashes or badly timed mechanicals I don't see any reason to expect Evenepoel to not be among the 5 strongest riders in the finale.

The Ronde has become significantly harder in the past decade. Ain't no way Tom Boonen would even be competitive on the current parcours. I find it surprising not more climbers try it, and it seems tailor made for someone like Evenepoel. If he doesn't have too much trouble positioning and staying on his bike, that is. I'd certainly favour him over Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen or whatever.

 

[Red Rick]

The Ronde has become significantly harder in the past decade. Ain't no way Tom Boonen would even be competitive on the current parcours. I find it surprising not more climbers try it, and it seems tailor made for someone like Evenepoel. If he doesn't have too much trouble positioning and staying on his bike, that is. I'd certainly favour him over Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen or whatever.

It's just not that climber friendly, but the time that 80kg chonkers without any climbing ability could contest the finale is long gone.

I vividly remember Contador dancing over the Muur van Geraardsbergen in Eneco Tour with Tom Boonen absolutely nowhere to be seen.

 

[ashhutch1997]

The Ronde has become significantly harder in the past decade. Ain't no way Tom Boonen would even be competitive on the current parcours. I find it surprising not more climbers try it, and it seems tailor made for someone like Evenepoel. If he doesn't have too much trouble positioning and staying on his bike, that is. I'd certainly favour him over Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen or whatever.

I agree, that's why I said I preferred the old route pre 2012.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He is 100% not winning and that is down to being too light to follow the most powerful guys on the koppenberg.

If he rides well he can place very highly though

 

[topcat]

He is 100% winning it.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He is 100% winning it.

Good point. I changed my mind

 

[Samu Cuenca]

He is 100% winning it.

He's the Easter Bunny you're waiting for?

 

[Extinction]

He's either going to do really well or get his arse kicked. I see no middle ground.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I think top 5 but I hope he wins or gets second to Wout.

I think likeliest scenario is he is third strongest or so but can't quite stick with Pogacar plus maybe MVDP, gets frustrated with his rivals, throws a bit of a tantrum, kills off some time, then attacks away to get a decent result.

 

[Gratemans]

The Ronde has become significantly harder in the past decade. Ain't no way Tom Boonen would even be competitive on the current parcours. I find it surprising not more climbers try it, and it seems tailor made for someone like Evenepoel. If he doesn't have too much trouble positioning and staying on his bike, that is. I'd certainly favour him over Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen or whatever.

Mads Pedersen in the last 4 years: 8th, 3d, 22nd, 2nd.

 

[Gratemans]

He's either going to do really well or get his arse kicked. I see no middle ground.

Do or do not, there is no try

 

[Extinction]

Do or do not, there is no try

Then do and shutup about it!

 

[Extinction]

Mads Pedersen in the last 4 years: 8th, 3d, 22nd, 2nd.

And he's worried about his sprint. He has to be there to spint, go Mads!