"A bit of a suicide attempt": Remco Evenepoel calls Egan Bernal move in yesterday's stage at Vuelta a San juan

Remco Evenepoel celebrated his birthday yesterday at stage 4 of Vuelta a San Juan on Wednesday. The now 23 years old rider of Soudal-Quick-Step, didn't have much of a busy day. The teams of Movistar and Total Energies took control of the stage for their sprinters Fernando Gaviria (who won the stage) and Peter Sagan (finished 2nd).

“Another day in paradise,'A lot of salt I also see on the jerseys of at my direct rivals. And I like to see that. That they refrain from the heat. I myself usually have few problems with it. But it was terribly hot. Once again, the weather forecasts were wrong. 25 degrees, they had announced at the top of that first-category climb. It was already 40" stated the Belgian to Het Laatste Nieuws.

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If not for the very hot weather, it would have been a easy day for Remco. Who had the opportunity to spend the day with ease, reserving his energies for Friday's stage 5 the Alto de Colorado mountain stage that will define the general classification of the race and who will win it.

“Especially in combination with the altitude, that is not obvious. A bit suicidal, actually. Almost five hours on the bike, that will creep into anyone's clothes. It was also the first time there was hard racing all day”, finished Remco about the race conditions, referring also the altitude factor.

One of the main favorites for tomorrow's stage who didn't take this opportunity to rest was INEOS-Grenadiers rider Egan Bernal. The Colombian attacked at the top of the Gruta Virgen de Andacollo climb reaching the breakaway. This move latter revealed ineffective because soon after the descent the peloton caught the breakaway with Bernal in it. The Colombian probably wanted to test himself but Remco Evenepoel is not sure that it was a wise move by him.

"A bit of a suicide attempt, I wanted to try again myself with a late attack, a kilometer from the line or so. But the wind blew full of disadvantage in the closing stages. Which made it easy for them to keep the wheel. And then another crash happened right in front of me with about 300 meters to go”, commented Remco about Bernal attack and his own ambitions of trying to make a move on the stage.