What place will Remco get in RVV?

[Gratemans]

...and shutup about it!

That's some really weird advice on a forum.

 

[Extinction]

They Ideal situation would be a four up sprint and then Pog could vent his frustration🤣🤣🤣🤣 for getting burnt for fourth. 🤣

 

[Gratemans]

Tbh I have absolutely no idea what Remco will do. But I agree it's probably gonna be top 5 (4th or 5th, I don't see him finishing higher) or nothing at all.

 

[canina82]

Looking to the poll, Remco is really a joker in this race.

 

[canina82]

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.

Boonen won it in 2012. However, I agree he would not have a chance against Pogacar.
I also think the old route would have an earlier selection with the way riders race these days. Pogacar would definitely attack from far out.

 

[Red Rick]

Boonen won it in 2012. However, I agree he would not have a chance against Pogacar.
I also think the old route would have an earlier selection with the way riders race these days. Pogacar would definitely attack from far out.

Boonen won it the year everyone was afraid of the new parcours and a gigantic peloton pubcrawled up to halfway the last Oude Kwaremont. That was also the last year he was even remotely competitive in the finale of RVV.

 

[canina82]

Boonen won it the year everyone was afraid of the new parcours and a gigantic peloton pubcrawled up to halfway the last Oude Kwaremont. That was also the last year he was even remotely competitive in the finale of RVV.

While I agree with you, it's important to say Boonen was very hampered due to injuries in his late career and he was past his prime even in his best season (2012) compared to his level between 2005-2009. Boonen was also destroyed by Cancellara in both 2010 and 2011 RVV so I think it's not just the change of route but also the fact he got higher competition later in his career, specially with Cancellara.
If he faced Cancellara 2010-2014 in his prime, he would probably get way less results.

 

[Red Rick]

While I agree with you, it's important to say Boonen was very hampered due to injuries in his late career and he was past his prime even in his best season (2012) compared to his level between 2005-2009. Boonen was also destroyed by Cancellara in both 2010 and 2011 RVV so I think it's not just the change of route but also the fact he got higher competition later in his career, specially with Cancellara.
If he faced Cancellara 2010-2014 in his prime, he would probably get way less results.

Yeah I don't rate the mid-late 2000s cobbled fields, and Boonnen-Cancellara was hardly a rivalry because usually one of them was completely off form. Also with the old finale usually they didn't do the Muur full gas from the bottom because the peloton would already be reduced.

Mostly though, all the RVV guys would have 0 chops in actual hilly races, even Cancellara didn't do that much in climbier one day races.

 

[Rule #9 apostle]

Really hyped by this. In isolation, I think he could have a better shot than mvdp to follow pog up the oude. And even if he is surely going to struggle on the koppen and pater, and maybe with positioning as well, hes such a dsrk hirse with his stamina and flat power, he could easily come back. I really hope he can show his best cause he could really impact the race in so many ways (lest also be fair, if things start to go against him, he ciuld be a complete non factor... he has a tendency to raise the white flag)

 

[red_flanders]

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.

That all tracks…

 

[AlpRaid]

Remco is really a joker in this race.

Indeed.

And I think people are too fixated on whether he can hang on to Pog and MVDP in the latter stages.

He cannot.

The question is whether he attacks on the flat between the climbs and earlier. Who the chases? A moment of hesitation and he could be gone. That’s where he is the joker in this race, and only way he wins is if Pog and VDP hesitate and look at each other.

Thing is I’m not sure Remco is willing to play it that way. He still has thoughts that he can be strongest. In 2021-22 maybe when Pog was mortal. But not since 2024.

 

[Didinho]

Thinking about the Brabantse Pijl last year. He rushed himself to get back in shape. Against Wout who had been 4th in the Ronde and Roubaix just before. Only 2 shorter cobbled climbs on the local lap. First time Moskesstraat he was just behind the 2 strongest, little gap. But in the next 2 km’s he attacked uphill and after, Wout was on the limit (while being the strongest just before). Next lap he was stronger, on the Hertstraat he put Wout under pressure. Moskestraat straight after again. And he kept the pace high. We know the outcome.

His engine and recovery on those shorter efforts are really good. All the roads between the hills are very windy, I was constantly thinking this would be perfect for Remco. If nothing strange happens, I expect a lot of him. As in be with Pogi at the finish. He’s ready and very motivated.

 

[jono]

Suppose Pogacar drops everyone on final Kwaremont and MVDP and Remco find themselves together after Paterberg. How small would the time gap need to be for them to work together and bring him back? Over/under 30 seconds?

 

[houtdffan]

Suppose Pogacar drops everyone on final Kwaremont and MVDP and Remco find themselves together after Paterberg. How small would the time gap need to be for them to work together and bring him back? Over/under 30 seconds?

Remco would need to do what he did at Amstel. Quit flapping his wings and pull back Pog himself

 

[onefortheroad]

Suppose Pogacar drops everyone on final Kwaremont and MVDP and Remco find themselves together after Paterberg. How small would the time gap need to be for them to work together and bring him back? Over/under 30 seconds?

Sadly, even on terrain that shouldn't give him a massive edge, Pogi’s "total cyclist" profile is being supercharged to such surreal levels that this seems likely to be yet another one of his exhibitions. A glitch in the matrix at this point.

 

[vappa]

Suppose Pogacar drops everyone on final Kwaremont and MVDP and Remco find themselves together after Paterberg. How small would the time gap need to be for them to work together and bring him back? Over/under 30 seconds?

It's irrelevant, MvdP should drop Remco on Paterberg and if he doesn't it means he's cooked, they won't catch Pogacar as a result. Plus, there's tailwind towards the finish, better chance for an attacker to stay away

 

[Krzysztof_O]

They Ideal situation would be a four up sprint and then Pog could vent his frustration🤣🤣🤣🤣 for getting burnt for fourth. 🤣

Nothing beats Teddy getting 4th place in a two-men sprint. He wasn't a nice boy to Van Baarle then.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Suppose Pogacar drops everyone on final Kwaremont and MVDP and Remco find themselves together after Paterberg. How small would the time gap need to be for them to work together and bring him back? Over/under 30 seconds?

About 15 seconds and there will be a chance (not saying they will make it though). Something similar to RVV 2023 except MVP having big help this time.

 

[Red Rick]

About 15 seconds and there will be a chance (not saying they will make it though). Something similar to RVV 2023 except MVP having big help this time.

In 2023 Van der Poel pretty much held Pogacar at 15 seconds, while in 2025 he exploded and dropped back to the group.

It's always hard to estimate how hard the first chase group is chasing cause often it's already clear the winner is gone and the chase group doesn't have the same motor draft.

But I would anticipate that MvdP + Evenepoel could pull back 15 seconds. But I also think it's very unlikely that's how the situation unfolds. It seems pretty possible to me that Evenepoel gets stuck in the group behidn MvdP on the top of Kwaremont and then can't get away.

Also, Evenepoel should just be gone before the final Kwaremont to have his best shot at winning.

 

[AmRacer]

In 2023 Van der Poel pretty much held Pogacar at 15 seconds, while in 2025 he exploded and dropped back to the group.

It's always hard to estimate how hard the first chase group is chasing cause often it's already clear the winner is gone and the chase group doesn't have the same motor draft.

But I would anticipate that MvdP + Evenepoel could pull back 15 seconds. But I also think it's very unlikely that's how the situation unfolds. It seems pretty possible to me that Evenepoel gets stuck in the group behidn MvdP on the top of Kwaremont and then can't get away.

Also, Evenepoel should just be gone before the final Kwaremont to have his best shot at winning.

Pogi and Mathieu chasing Remco

 

[Berniece]

Also, Evenepoel should just be gone before the final Kwaremont to have his best shot at winning.

Maybe even 2nd time Kwaremont. If he's badly positioned the 2nd time, it might already be over

 

[Berflamand]

I hear and read a lot about the positioning into the 2nd Oude Kwaremont but are chances really that high that it's still a significant peloton by that point? I mean, the race looks plenty hard even before that. But honestly, I don't really remember how the race played out at that point the previous years and haven't looked it up.

But the non-cobbled hills which should suit Remco the best (Berendries, Valkenberg, Nieuwe Kruisberg/Hotond) all come before the 2nd Kwaremont. Should he not force a selection himself at that point if the race is not yet in pieces, thus making positioning for the Oude Kwaremont irrelevant?

 

[Berniece]

I hear and read a lot about the positioning into the 2nd Oude Kwaremont but are chances really that high that it's still a significant peloton by that point? I mean, the race looks plenty hard even before that. But honestly, I don't really remember how the race played out at that point the previous years and haven't looked it up.

But the non-cobbled hills which should suit Remco the best (Berendries, Valkenberg, Nieuwe Kruisberg/Hotond) all come before the 2nd Kwaremont. Should he not force a selection himself at that point if the race is not yet in pieces, thus making positioning for the Oude Kwaremont irrelevant?

Yeah, but it's a hard line to walk. You don't want to make it too hard, because that plays in the card of Pogacar. Maybe UAE will just do all the work anyway, and they just have to go with it.

 

[Jan the Man]

Yes last year from memory there were loads of crashes which impacted the size of the peloton and how things were raced.

 

[canina82]

Yes last year from memory there were loads of crashes which impacted the size of the peloton and how things were raced.

Partly true. Last year, there were loads of crashes but most of those riders came back. It's also important to mention, the team supposed to put a hard tempo (UAE) lost 2 key riders (Narvaez and Wellens) and had Veermersch disappeared for a long time until he made a remarkable comeback later in the race. If nothing happens this year, I'm pretty sure the race will be a lot harder and this doesn't bother well to Pogacar's rivals.