Remco Evenepoel spoke this Friday at a press conference on the eve of the 118th edition of Tour of Lombardy ! Not necessarily to its advantage in Italy since the end of Worldswith an abandonment on the Tower of Emilie and an anecdotal 53rd place on the Bernocchi Cupthe Belgian hopes to conclude this 2024 season in the best possible way in the Classic of Dead Leaves. A Monument which has not really smiled on him in the past, with his serious fall for his first participation in 2020 and a 9th place as best result in 2023. If the victory seems utopian as the world champion and three-time title holder Tadej Pogacar seems invincible and at the top of his game at the end of the year, the leader of Wolfpack is a very serious candidate for the podium despite a fatigue that he does not hide, dulled by a very demanding season and rich in emotions.
Video – Remco Evenepoel on the eve of the 2024 Tour of Lombardy
“I worked hard to be in shape in July, I think I’m paying for it a little”
“It’s difficult to assess my form. I’m not able to give a percentage. It’s clear that it’s not the level of July or the Olympics but I can tell you that I am still well enough to perform. We’ll see if it’s enough to win or not. I’m going to go there, do my best and we’ll see what the result is.”explained the double Olympic champion. “If you have a problem-free season, it’s possible to show up in top form here. I proved it in 2022 where I was at a very high level from June until the last week of my season. This year, after the crash in the Basque Country, I worked hard to be in shape for the month of July and I think I’m paying for it a little now. I have a little more difficulty keeping in shape but it makes sense I think.”
Not at his best, Remco Evenepoel therefore does not intend to scatter with distant offensives, but rather to save as much as possible to try to follow in the end. “Lhe first 100 kilometers are the hardest of the race. It will be a big fight for the breakaway and it will not be easy to control the race. But it is in Onno, with four climbs remaining, that the race will open. There will be approximately 90 kilometers remaining. Then, there will be the ascent of Sormano which will really kick off the finale. We switch around forty kilometers from the finish so the finish will be quite long. I’m going to try to keep my energy up as long as possible and stay away from problems to make sure I’m fresh for these last 95 kilometers.”
“If Tadej has the legs of the Tour, it will be very difficult to follow him…”
No matter the scenario, no one seems able to undermine ultra domination Tadej Pogacar on this year 2024, the Slovenian being logically the big favorite to achieve a fourth consecutive victory in Lombardy. “If Tadej has the legs of the Tour, it will be very difficult to follow him“, confirms, almost resigned, Remco Evenepoel. “It makes sense that he is the favorite, when you see how he rode this year. He had nothing against him, not a single fall, not a single broken thing… It’s a season that will perhaps never be repeated, neither by him, nor by anyone in general“, he concluded, admiringly.
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