Since the beginning of Tour of Spain the 19 August, Remco Evenepoel dominates the fierce adversity he faces in the first mountain stages. Primož Roglič, But Henry, Simon Yates, Carlos Rodriguez, John Ayuso, or Jai Hindley : these prestigious runners have so far been all helpless in the face of the power of Brabançon from the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team. A domination that surprised many people in the world of cycling, despite the obvious talent of this young man 22 years.
A revelation on the climbs
Let's return to 12 mars 2022, data from 6The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage of Tirreno Adriatico. That day, Remco Evenepoel was dropped in the first ascent of the terrible Monte Carpegna. He will then lose 4 minutes on the winner, the double winner of the Tour de France Tadej Pogačar. This event established the idea that Remco is a runner incapable of following the best on rugged passes..
5 months later, this assumption was clearly and simply smashed to smithereens by the Belgian. Indeed, physically sharp, weighing 63 kilos against 2 at 3 extra pounds 5 month ago, he is ideally prepared for his second Grand Tour. To be in top form, He had to participate in a three-week training course at altitude in Livigno, Then 11 internship days in the Alicante region, housed in a hypoxic room, within the Syncrosfera hotel.
After his internship in northern Italy, the outclasses the Classic San Sebastian. And since the beginning of the Return, it dominates the competition in the high percentages. Last Sunday, during the terrible rise of Praeres (3,9 km – 12,9%, maximum percentage at 24%), Evenepoel defied the odds by outpacing everyone on the pedals, and in the process beating the record for the climb. At the arrival, Juan Ayuso finishes 34 seconds of the Belgian, Enric Mas to 44 seconds, Carlos Rodriguez to 46 seconds and Primoz Roglic to 52 seconds!
In short, impressive gaps on an ascent of 15 minutes. On this Return, Remco Evenepoel proved to the whole world that he has not only become a runner capable of keeping up with the best in high percentages, but also to dominate them.
Remco 2.0: a better runner technically and mentally.
There was a time when Remco Evenepoel was criticized for its technical shortcomings, especially during the Tour of Italy 2021. Back in the peloton 8 months after his terrible fall in the Tour of Lombardy, he stood out for his excitement on the Tuscan gravel roads of the 9The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage, and on the descents. Besides, his abandonment was due to a fall downhill during the 17The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage.
This period now seems far away for Remco Evenepoel. First of all, he made significant progress downhill. This progress in this sector was seen on the Tour of the Basque Country, where the latter was able to cause an escape in the descent of “Karabieta“, allowing him to snatch the leader’s jersey before the final stage.
Within the peloton, the Belgian is much calmer and relaxed. Indeed, by working within the Quick-Step train for its sprinter Fabio Jakobsen at the start of the year, he knows much better “rub” From now on. This year, he didn't fall once in 52 race days.
Finally, the most impressive change at Remco is its maturity. From his debut in the peloton, the Belgian stood out for his strong character, which could sometimes lead to uncontrolled nervousness during critical moments for him. Something now less and less present. Remco has certainly retained its strong personality but now uses it more to display a form of authority that impresses. During the 9The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage of the Tour of Spain, the Belgian follows an attack from Richard Carapaz and calmly advises him to fall into line, like a veteran of the peloton.
Can he win the Vuelta?
This is the question that resides in the minds of many observers. Remco Evenepoel certainly dominated the first week head and shoulders, but the Return is far from over. Two weeks loom on the horizon, and he will go through crucial moments to achieve this feat. Can he manage to maintain his physical condition for two more weeks??
Many note the fact that during the Round from last year, the Belgian was fighting with the best during the first mountain stages, before weakening and collapse in the Alps. But in his defense, Evenepoel had carried out a very shortened preparation of two and a half months, which is insufficient to be competitive for three weeks. Si on en croit Koen Pilgrim, his trainer, Evenepoel, thanks to a good winter and good final preparation, can do it:
Koen Pilgrim, Remco Evenepoel's trainer explaining why his foal is better prepared than last year.
Furthermore, the question of altitude arises. Indeed, The 15The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage of the Vuelta will perhaps be the biggest challenge of Remco Evenepoel's career, since he will have to face the ascent of the Sierra Nevada. 19,3 kilometers to 7,9% that he ran on a traditional bicycle, and whose summit is at 2513 meters of altitude. If Remco Evenepoel wants to win the Vuelta and enter the big leagues, he must not weaken when he climbs above the 2000 meters. These two question marks will likely determine the rest of his career.
In 1978, Johan de Muynck was the last Belgian to win a Grand Tour, by winning the Tour of Italy. Can Remco Evenepoel put an end to this Belgian shortage of 44 years ? The sequel will give us the answer.
