This is something that most will not care about
(I , but for those of you who enjoy seeing generational talents emerge and/or those who have an interest in cycling he's someone worth paying attention to.

Yesterday, he got his first professional win at age 19. What was more remarkable was that he did it by dropping the world hour record holder, Victor Campenaerts, who had the following to say,

Campenaerts: "I have no words. I've never seen someone riding that hard as Remco did. Following him was one thing, but taking turns was something else. I'm not fully convinced that I would have been able to keep up with Evenepoel to the finish line."

"I'm not really sure what happened in that turn. Maybe because of fatigue or maybe I made a little steering error, I don't know. It is a pity!"

"I do know how to ride a bike myself, but now I understand what other riders were experiencing last week in the Hammer Series and last year at the junior world championship."

To put things in perspective Evenepoel has only been riding competitively since 2017 and he was racing in the Junior division (under 18) last season. He bypassed the u23 division and went straight to the top level on the professional tour.

I ride, but only casually follow cycling. I see that this kid is Belgian as was the great Eddy Merckx . . . People who thought Lance Armstrong (aka Lance HGHStrong, aka Lance EPOStrong) was a great rider should look up Eddy's record. It's always exciting when a country with a great heritage in a sport produces an up-and-coming star to hopefully continue their tradition.

Very cool - thanks for posting.

Note that Armstrong on PEDs was the fastest among other riders, who were also on PEDs (not justifying it, though... the riders who refused to dope were at a disadvantage).

Eddy Merckx* was, without a doubt, one of the greatest bike racers of all time. Lotsa riders took performance enhancers of various sorts in the '60s and '70s, too.

*pronounced "Mairss" (sort of), for the uninitiated

Won the Baloise Belgium Tour and won the Green Jersey as well.

Has a nasty habit of crashing so he still has a lot to learn.

Next up the Belgian Time Trial Championships and the Belgian Road race at the end of this month.

Cycling has been rife with drugs since the beginning. Like the very beginning (1800's). Armstrong is like chapter 178 of the book. Just ask Choppy Warburton.

As a Dutchman I am an avid road cycling fan. Have been at the Tour de France, watched ever since I was little. Cheating in the sport likely still goes on. The most amazing thing I saw was when a Belgian Cyclist Rudy Pevenage was a team leader of a cycling team years back. He was caught getting around doping testing in the TdF when he raced. As a team leader he helped Ullrich to blood dope allegedly... This tells me that sport will never be clean if they recycle violators.

The sport is super demanding and brutal. It will never end.

Grigsby said:

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This is something that most will not care about
(I , but for those of you who enjoy seeing generational talents emerge and/or those who have an interest in cycling he's someone worth paying attention to.

Yesterday, he got his first professional win at age 19. What was more remarkable was that he did it by dropping the world hour record holder, Victor Campenaerts, who had the following to say,

Campenaerts: "I have no words. I've never seen someone riding that hard as Remco did. Following him was one thing, but taking turns was something else. I'm not fully convinced that I would have been able to keep up with Evenepoel to the finish line."

"I'm not really sure what happened in that turn. Maybe because of fatigue or maybe I made a little steering error, I don't know. It is a pity!"

"I do know how to ride a bike myself, but now I understand what other riders were experiencing last week in the Hammer Series and last year at the junior world championship."

To put things in perspective Evenepoel has only been riding competitively since 2017 and he was racing in the Junior division (under 18) last season. He bypassed the u23 division and went straight to the top level on the professional tour.

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He is on a great team - Quick Step. They will certainly help him reach his potential.

And speaking of cycling, Chris Froome broke his leg in a recent training run and will not participate in the TdF. It will be interesting to see how Ineos handles his absence.

The kid has talent no doubt, but it's way too early to say he will be the next Merckx. That's what people said of Edvald Boasson Hagen when he had similar results (or better) at 20 and he hasn't even been the best rider from Norway the last few years. I think the next generational talent is Mathieu van der Poel. Granted he is older, but if we switches full-time to the road he could end up with Cancellar/Boonen type palmeres.

BearOnABike said:

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The kid has talent no doubt, but it's way too early to say he will be the next Merckx. That's what people said of Edvald Boasson Hagen when he had similar results (or better) at 20 and he hasn't even been the best rider from Norway the last few years. I think the next generational talent is Mathieu van der Poel. Granted he is older, but if we switches full-time to the road he could end up with Cancellar/Boonen type palmeres.

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Egan Bernal would be my choice for the next superstar.....

Just as a reference Remco raced in the Brussels 1/2 marathon at 16 with no training in 1 hr 16 minutes and finished 13th in the open division

BearOnABike said:

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The kid has talent no doubt, but it's way too early to say he will be the next Merckx. That's what people said of Edvald Boasson Hagen when he had similar results (or better) at 20 and he hasn't even been the best rider from Norway the last few years. I think the next generational talent is Mathieu van der Poel. Granted he is older, but if we switches full-time to the road he could end up with Cancellar/Boonen type palmeres.

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Certainly lots of young talents who touted as the next great.

Remco had the greatest junior career I've ever seen.

MVDP and Wout Van Aert and Remco battles will be fun in the monuments.

If you are implying that it was a level playing field because everyone else was on PEDs, then that's not accurate. Yes, most riders were (are still?) doping. Yes, the top 10 in a grand tour were certainly doping with few exceptions, but people respond differently to PEDs and EPO. I don't mean to get in a discussion about whether Lance would have won 7 tours clean if everyone else was clean; I just don't believe it was a level playing field because most were on PEDs.

Well, level because yes, genetics already not level, and doping response is genetic, but then athletics will never be level if you drill down into that micro.

The most 'unlevel' thing about Lance's run was probably the cooperative help/collusion from UCI itself.

You have whet my appetite to watch the Tour. Unfortunately, the station which used to carry the race is no longer in existence. The two announcers, Paul and ?, were and are superb. Any idea of whether it will be broadcast so that us Americans can get that taste of real biking in our blood? The race is almost here. It usually starts the end of June or beginning of July.

Bear8 said:

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You have whet my appetite to watch the Tour. Unfortunately, the station which used to carry the race is no longer in existence. The two announcers, Paul and ?, were and are superb. Any idea of whether it will be broadcast so that us Americans can get that taste of real biking in our blood? The race is almost here. It usually starts the end of June or beginning of July.

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I read somewhere that NBC Sports will broadcast the Tour every day, assuming you have cable. Otherwise, you will have to buy into a third-party stream (~$55).

Bear8 said:

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You have whet my appetite to watch the Tour. Unfortunately, the station which used to carry the race is no longer in existence. The two announcers, Paul and ?, were and are superb. Any idea of whether it will be broadcast so that us Americans can get that taste of real biking in our blood? The race is almost here. It usually starts the end of June or beginning of July.

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The US broadcast will be on NBC Sports Network, with Phil Liggett, but the first time in over 30 years, Phil will do the TDF without Paul Sherwin, who died of heart failure last December at age 62. I haven't yet heard who will work with Phil this year at the TDF. Phil is around 75, so he may not last much longer on the job, especially if he doesn't feel like he clicks with his new partner. Supposedly NBCSN has told Phil he can go as long as he wants. We'll see.

Stage 1 is Saturday July 6, the final stage 21 is Sunday July 28.

The TDF has been on NBC Sports Network or one of its predecessors for a long time. Before it was NBC Sports Network it was Versus, and before that the US version of OLN, which either stood for Outside Life Network or Only Lance Network, I'm not sure which.

Cal8285 said:

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Bear8 said:

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You have whet my appetite to watch the Tour. Unfortunately, the station which used to carry the race is no longer in existence. The two announcers, Paul and ?, were and are superb. Any idea of whether it will be broadcast so that us Americans can get that taste of real biking in our blood? The race is almost here. It usually starts the end of June or beginning of July.

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The US broadcast will be on NBC Sports Network, with Phil Liggett, but the first time in over 30 years, Phil will do the TDF without Paul Sherwin, who died of heart failure last December at age 62. I haven't yet heard who will work with Phil this year at the TDF. Phil is around 75, so he may not last much longer on the job, especially if he doesn't feel like he clicks with his new partner. Supposedly NBCSN has told Phil he can go as long as he wants. We'll see.

Stage 1 is Saturday July 6, the final stage 21 is Sunday July 28.

The TDF has been on NBC Sports Network or one of its predecessors for a long time. Before it was NBC Sports Network it was Versus, and before that the US version of OLN, which either stood for Outside Life Network or Only Lance Network, I'm not sure which.

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Geraint Thomas was injured today in a crash at the Tour de Suisse. He should be ok for the TdF. It appears that Team INEOS is snakebit. Does this mean another team could take over the Tour? As long as Peter Sagan wins green, I'll be happy!

My guess is that "Bobke" Bob Roll will work with Phil.

I keep trying to push my best friend to try to network into the NBC as he currently emcees the start and podiums for ASO events including the Tour De France. (As an aside his parents are Cal alums).

(So if anyone has a connection to NBC Cycling let me know)

Grigsby said:

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My guess is that "Bobke" Bob Roll will work with Phil.

I keep trying to push my best friend to try to network into the NBC as he currently emcees the start and podiums for ASO events including the Tour De France. (As an aside his parents are Cal alums).

(So if anyone has a connection to NBC Cycling let me know)

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If they're going to have an American partner for Phil, then it seems to me likely either it would be Christian Vande Velde alone or, as it is with the Amgen Tour of California, Christian and Bob Roll. Since the international english broadcast replaced Phil and Paul so that Phil and Paul were only NBC Sports Net, Christian and Bob have been studio analysts for the NBC Sports Net TDF broadcast, and it has worked pretty well. They'd have drastic changes to the studio if they put Christian and Bob with Phil.

Phil worked with Robbie McEwen at the tour down under, but McEwen was one of the guys who replaced Phil and Paul on the worldwide English broadcast, and so far as I know, McEwen is doing the international TDF English broadcast this year.

The Amgen Tour of California team seems to have been doing a good job for a lot of years for NBC Sports Net, it would be fine to have them on the TDF, and I assume Phil would be OK taking that show to France (and Jens Voigt is, IMO, a good part of the team, too, if a little off in his forecasts sometimes). If they go with them, the only problem is how to deal with the studio portion of the broadcast.

71Bear said:

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Cal8285 said:

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Bear8 said:

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You have whet my appetite to watch the Tour. Unfortunately, the station which used to carry the race is no longer in existence. The two announcers, Paul and ?, were and are superb. Any idea of whether it will be broadcast so that us Americans can get that taste of real biking in our blood? The race is almost here. It usually starts the end of June or beginning of July.

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The US broadcast will be on NBC Sports Network, with Phil Liggett, but the first time in over 30 years, Phil will do the TDF without Paul Sherwin, who died of heart failure last December at age 62. I haven't yet heard who will work with Phil this year at the TDF. Phil is around 75, so he may not last much longer on the job, especially if he doesn't feel like he clicks with his new partner. Supposedly NBCSN has told Phil he can go as long as he wants. We'll see.

Stage 1 is Saturday July 6, the final stage 21 is Sunday July 28.

The TDF has been on NBC Sports Network or one of its predecessors for a long time. Before it was NBC Sports Network it was Versus, and before that the US version of OLN, which either stood for Outside Life Network or Only Lance Network, I'm not sure which.

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Geraint Thomas was injured today in a crash at the Tour de Suisse. He should be ok for the TdF. It appears that Team INEOS is snakebit. Does this mean another team could take over the Tour? As long as Peter Sagan wins green, I'll be happy!

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Dumoulin just had knee surgery, and is supposed to be OK for the TdF (apparently was a piece of gravel removed from his knee causing irritation), but maybe it is the 2018 GC podium that is snakebit, not Team INEOS.

With questions already existing about when Bernal will be the strongest INEOS rider (time trialing the big advantage Thomas has over Bernal right now), we'll see how things play out after the Thomas injury. Certainly it makes sense for INEOS to now place Bernal in the same position as Thomas in 2018, protect both of their top riders to maximize the possibility of a team member taking yellow in Paris.

Can't see Dumolin challenging. Routine surgery but I just think he's not going to be in good enough form.

While no one ever roots for an injury, I think Froome's injury might allow for some fireworks in the race.

I wasn't aware that Paul Sherwin past away. He and Phil were so outstanding. I was never bored listening to them. Good luck to whoever succeeds these two guys. They will have very large shoes to fill. Yes, it was Versus, the television station I couldn't recall.

Aw man, Sherwin's passing is news to me too, sad stuff.

My memory of Bobke (haven't watched live coverage in a long time) is like the Walton of cycling broadcasting. I love him for on scene breaks and interludes, but not sure how it would be like watching him man the desk for the whole race lol.

Grigsby said:

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Can't see Dumolin challenging. Routine surgery but I just think he's not going to be in good enough form.

While no one ever roots for an injury, I think Froome's injury might allow for some fireworks in the race.

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Dumolin agrees and has dropped out. Thomas is acting like his crash won't prevent him from being in good enough form, but we'll see.

rkt88edmo said:

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Aw man, Sherwin's passing is news to me too, sad stuff.

My memory of Bobke (haven't watched live coverage in a long time) is like the Walton of cycling broadcasting. I love him for on scene breaks and interludes, but not sure how it would be like watching him man the desk for the whole race lol.

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I generally agree about Bobke, although the appropriate Walton comparison might be Bobke in his earlier days to Walton in his earlier days. Walton has gone extreme, to the point where he is a parody of himself, whereas Bobke toned it down somewhat over the years.

I think these days, Bobke is fine on the Tour of California broadcasts, when he is there for the whole race but really is a third banana behind Phil and Christian.

rkt88edmo said:

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Aw man, Sherwin's passing is news to me too, sad stuff.

My memory of Bobke (haven't watched live coverage in a long time) is like the Walton of cycling broadcasting. I love him for on scene breaks and interludes, but not sure how it would be like watching him man the desk for the whole race lol.

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Bobke did a good job sitting in with Phil Leggett during the Tour of California. I have no idea whether they will use him in the same role at the Tour.

Along with his race commentary, I will miss Paul Sherwin's bon mots regarding the passing scenery, chateaus, landmarks and cathedrals

Just over a week until the TDF.

National Championships are this week.
Remco is participating with the big boys in the time trial and road race championships. (There was some speculation he'd race U23).

He's slotted as one of the favorites in a stacked Belgian Time Trial field

World Hour record holder 2018 world championship bronze medalist and defending Belgian Time Trial champion, Victor Campenaerts

4x Belgian Time Trial Medalist and 2017 Belgian champ, Yves Lampaert

2018 Belgian runner-up Thomas DeGendt

3x cyclo-cross world champion and 2019 Dauphin Time Trial winner Wout Van Aert

Remco is going 6th to last and it's a flat 38.3 km course.

71Bear said:

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rkt88edmo said:

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Aw man, Sherwin's passing is news to me too, sad stuff.

My memory of Bobke (haven't watched live coverage in a long time) is like the Walton of cycling broadcasting. I love him for on scene breaks and interludes, but not sure how it would be like watching him man the desk for the whole race lol.

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Bobke did a good job sitting in with Phil Leggett during the Tour of California. I have no idea whether they will use him in the same role at the Tour.

Along with his race commentary, I will miss Paul Sherwin's bon mots regarding the passing scenery, chateaus, landmarks and cathedrals

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The scenery is going to feature a lot of angry locals in yellow this year. The Yellow Vest movement being mostly based in rural France, it's going to be an interesting angle to the upcoming Tour. The first weekend in France falls on Bastille's Day, in and around Saint-Etienne. I think the protests will be large but mostly not disruptive, unless the authorities go too far in repressing them (which they have regularly done in the last few months).

Remco finished 3rd in the Belgian ITT Championships. Wout Van Aert won the TT by 31 seconds over Yves Lampaert

The strength of the field was the best in decades as evidenced by world hour record holder, 2018 Belgian ITT champion, and 2018 World championship Bronze medalist Victor Campanaerts finishing 4th.

Still a great achievement for Remco to finish 3rd at age 19.

Van Aert is probably the best Time Trialist in the World this very moment with this win and crushing the field at the Dauphin time Trial.

Wins his first World Tour Race and a Classic to boot by winning the Clasica San Sebastin.

Third youngest rider in history to win a World Tour Race. The other two were in 1909 and 1925 in Liege Bastogne Liege.

Hard to draw comparisons to this achievement because it is so unbelievable.

Grigsby...I'm on the Remco train. It wasn't that he won San Sebastien, but the way he won. He was dropped (or had a mechanical?) on the penultimate climb, chased back on, did water bottle duty, and then joined Skujins on the attack before the final climb. Skujins wasn't going anywhere until Remco joined him and he clearly powered the duo to the climb. Based on what I saw he lost about 10 seconds on the climb itself, which was really impressive. I'm interested to see how he climbs in the big mountains.

BearOnABike said:

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Grigsby...I'm on the Remco train. It wasn't that he won San Sebastien, but the way he won. He was dropped (or had a mechanical?) on the penultimate climb, chased back on, did water bottle duty, and then joined Skujins on the attack before the final climb. Skujins wasn't going anywhere until Remco joined him and he clearly powered the duo to the climb. Based on what I saw he lost about 10 seconds on the climb itself, which was really impressive. I'm interested to see how he climbs in the big mountains.

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You got Bernal, Phillipe, Remco, Van Aerts and Van der Poel. Would be great to see them all in the Tour.

Goobear said:

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BearOnABike said:

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Grigsby...I'm on the Remco train. It wasn't that he won San Sebastien, but the way he won. He was dropped (or had a mechanical?) on the penultimate climb, chased back on, did water bottle duty, and then joined Skujins on the attack before the final climb. Skujins wasn't going anywhere until Remco joined him and he clearly powered the duo to the climb. Based on what I saw he lost about 10 seconds on the climb itself, which was really impressive. I'm interested to see how he climbs in the big mountains.

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You got Bernal, Phillipe, Remco, Van Aerts and Van der Poel. Would be great to see them all in the Tour.

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Bernal was a deserving winner but Alaphilippe stole the show. It was easily the best Tour in years. The crowds along the way were enormous (the biggest I have ever seen) and were surprising well behaved (maybe it is because they didn't ascend Alpe d'huez this year - Dutch Corner is the craziest place in all of professional sports). And Peter Sagan won a record seventh green jersey.

I thought Bobke did a good job as the analyst and I liked the repartee between Vandevelde and Chris Horner. Overall, it was a great race. Next year, put your money on Pinot. It is well past time a Frenchman wins the race. Heck, I think he might have won this year had he not been injured.

Goobear said:

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BearOnABike said:

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Grigsby...I'm on the Remco train. It wasn't that he won San Sebastien, but the way he won. He was dropped (or had a mechanical?) on the penultimate climb, chased back on, did water bottle duty, and then joined Skujins on the attack before the final climb. Skujins wasn't going anywhere until Remco joined him and he clearly powered the duo to the climb. Based on what I saw he lost about 10 seconds on the climb itself, which was really impressive. I'm interested to see how he climbs in the big mountains.

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You got Bernal, Phillipe, Remco, Van Aerts and Van der Poel. Would be great to see them all in the Tour.

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Unfortunately, doesn't look like Remco will see the Tour until at least 2021. Rumor has it he'll be in the 2020 Vuelta