We had to avoid overheating, during this first Tuscan weekend under more than 35 degrees. And unlike the DSM team bus, which died on Saturday afternoon, Remco Evenepoel did it superbly. During the first stage, Brabançon was in automatic mode, never leaving the leading group, and integrating the top 10 of the stage (8th) won by his friend Romain Bardet, first yellow jersey of the Tour. And on Sunday, the Soudal Quick-Step rider amazed by coming back almost alone on the Vingegaard-Pogacar duo, who set off on the second climb of the terrible San Luca hill (2 km at 10%).
Could he have followed the two big favorites of the Tour if he had been a little better placed at the foot of the hill, and if he had not had to plug a hole just before the decisive attack? Difficult to answer in the affirmative, as the impression of power given off by the duo of extraterrestrials was enormous. But Remco showed that resilience will be one of his main qualities for three weeks: it will take a lot to make him completely break down.
“I was just behind Pogacar when he attacked but I had just made an effort to get back up”explained, as he came down from the podium, the man wearing the white jersey of best young rider. “Maybe I could have followed him but in the end it didn’t matter because I finished with Vingegaard and Pogacar.” At the cost of a big solo effort on the descent then in the final, flatter part of the race. “I always had them in my sights, about ten seconds in front of me. And I had no choice: I had to go hard until the finish.”
Tour de France: Pogacar’s mine attacks Vingegaard in the San Luca (VIDEO)
guillementIf Carapaz had taken over, we would have come back faster.
Especially since Richard Carapaz did not cooperate. “If that had been the case, perhaps we would have returned faster.”, said Evenepoel. The Ecuadorian was well inspired to follow the Belgian in the final, since he is, with Remco, the only one of the favorites not to have lost time this Sunday (Bardet, Roglic, Ciccone or Rodriguez arrived 21 seconds later late).
Yellow jersey if he finishes two positions ahead of Pogacar on Monday
Now second in the general classification behind Tadej Pogacar despite the fact that he is ranked in the same second (Editor’s note: the Slovenian is ahead in the game of the cumulative positions of the first two stages), Remco Evenepoel could have taken the yellow jersey if Pogacar had managed to leave a gap of one second with the Belgian on the line. “I tried but I didn’t succeed”the UAE rider told the former Belgian champion, during his warm-up on the rollers.
Tadej Pogacar wanted to leave the yellow jersey to Remco Evenepoel: “I left a gap at the end”
“Tadej didn’t really seem happy to have the yellow jersey because it was certainly not his intention to take it in the first days,” indicated Remco when discussing this discussion captured by the cameras. It must be said that the leader of the Emirati team would have done without the post-race protocols. The yellow jersey at the start of the Tour weighs on him more than it delights him. Whereas for the Belgian, it would have been quite the opposite. He would have seen a dream come true.
But this dream could well come true this Monday if Evenepoel is ahead of Pogacar by two places (without being ahead of Vingegaard by 9 places or by Carapaz by 12 places). Only problem: the stage between Piacenza and Turin is promised to sprinters. And it will therefore be necessary to take risks in the final packaging to succeed in wearing the yellow tunic on the Galibier stage on Tuesday. “But I’m not going to take part in the mass sprint and risk my life. I’ll try to stay out of trouble.”indicated the leader of Soudal Quick-Step.If I end up taking the jersey, I will be proud and I will try to enjoy it.”
guillementSince the Dauphiné, I have lost between two and two and a half kilos.
Without changing its ambitions however. Because even if the progress of Brabançon since Dauphiné is visible to the naked eye (“I have lost between two and two and a half kilos in recent weeks”, he admits), seeing him fight with Pogacar and Vingegaard for three weeks seems complicated. “The two in front have already won the Tour twice each and we shouldn’t start fantasizing”Patrick Lefevere tempered in the arrival paddock. But one thing is certain: this Remco is going to liven up the Tour. And have fun. “During this first weekend, I had a lot of fun”he concludes. And so do we.
