"Forcing things is really not a good plan" - Soudal - Quick-Step won't try anything crazy to improve Remco Evenepoel's Tour de France standing

With a pair of HC climbs and a summit finish atop Isola 2000 looming for the peloton on stage 19 of the 2024 Tour de France, there is much possibility for a general classification shakeup. Remco Evenepoel starts the day in 3rd, but the Belgian's team are insistent they won't risk losing everything for the chance to move up.

"You can always dream of more and a moment's inspiration is always possible, but forcing things is really not a good plan," Soudal - Quick-Step sports director Klaas Lodewyck explains pre-stage, in conversation with Het Nieuwsblad. "It's not up to us to take steps. We're not going to do crazy things to try to move up a place, only to lose everything."

With Mikel Landa also sitting 5th overall, there is a potential second card for Soudal - Quick-Step to play on stage 19. Lodewyck however, doesn't think sending the Basque rider into an early breakaway would make for a good situation for Evenepoel in the finale. "If Visma or UAE send guys in the early breakaway, we have to do the same, yes. But certainly not Landa, because other teams will react to that," he explains. "That only means a loss of energy. He is now also fifth in the standings and it would be perfect if that stays like that. If we need him, we will use him, but we will not let him lose places unnecessarily."

"It's also difficult to come up with plans, because the stage is fairly fair. It will depend on the legs," Lodewyck concludes his preview of a potentially key day in the high mountains. "If Vingegaard is again inferior or blows himself up because he's going all out to win the Tour, that will become clear. It's not the case that if you win twelve seconds once, you'll also close that two-minute gap."