If we except the inaugural blunder of Soudal Quick-Step on Saturday in Lille, Remco Evenepoel can also be, overall, happy with its first seven days on this tower.
The pee break at the wrong time
His Friday was quite good, even if he had started badly. He will be deprived of the services of Mattia Cattaneo, forced to abandon. “Since his fall during the 4th stage, he has always had a headache. We will miss it”launched Ilan Van Wilder, while looking for a place to protect himself from the dodge.
Later, Evenepoel had to stop at a very bad time for a natural need, which then forced him to fill with the help of Tim Merlier a gap of thirty seconds on the group of favorites.
But it was on time when hostilities were triggered in the first of the two ascents of Mûr-de-Bretagne. At the top, fifteen terminals from the finish line, the white jersey gave off an impression of ease, which he confirmed in the final ascent. “From the foot of the climb, Wellens and Pogi printed a very high pace. But, as I felt good, I put, in turn, an accelerator.”
It gives me confidence for the future. “
What we will remember very positive is that, even if he did not place a frank attack as he had considered, the double Olympic champion was able to look at Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar right in his eyes throughout the ascent. This is a first successful test with mention for the Wolfpack leader. “”It gives me confidence for the futurehe confirmed at his descent of the podium. Saturday and Sunday, we will try to blow a little before attacking the beautiful stage of Monday and continuing with the first day of rest. “
Perfectionist as he is, the white jersey will certainly realize that he made some mistakes in the last hectometers. First, he was offensive in the second part of the bump, when he should have left the initiative to the Danish or Slovenian. Suddenly, he served as a support to Pogi, deprived of the support of Almeida, victim of a fall a few kilometers earlier. Then he should have gone to the offensive on the top of Mûr-de-Bretagne. Instead, he could not sprint and sold two seconds to the duo, as well as ten bonuses in Pogacar and Six in Vingegaard.
If these maneuvers in a counter time translate the euphoria which lived in Brabançon, grayed out by being the only one who can accompany the two best, they also constitute a reflection of the confidence that animates it, even if it is wary as the plague of Kevin Vauquelin, 3rd of the General, 17 seconds from the Belgian. “Remco was afraid of me, I thinklaunched the French at the microphone of Eurosport. He rolled in front of the entire bump. He didn’t want me to be there. “
I loved this climb, even if I still prefer the redoubt. “
In the end, the interested party, finally 6th in the stage 2 seconds from Pogacar, will remember that he made (almost) equal game with the Slovenian. “I lost twelve seconds today? It won’t count in this turn. I loved this climb, even if I still prefer the redoubt”laughing, conceding that he had not been able to give his full measure during the final sprint. “”I felt the cramps arrive and the lactic acid getting into the legs. “
But Remco Evenepoel is not at all. He says he is more upset by the abandonment of Cattaneo. “It was still my bodyguard in the peloton. So it’s a hell of a loss but we have to adapt”he concludes, ascend to second place in the general classification (at 0:54 of Pogacar).