"He had left me speechless" - Teammate discusses what makes Remco Evenepoel different

Within Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team there are several puncheurs who have looked for strong results this year. Surprisingly however, the main victory in the classics as been taken by Remco Evenepoel at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Andrea Bagioli, teammate of the Belgian, has talked about the World Champion.

In an interview with TuttoBiciWeb, Bagioli was asked about the World Championships, where he was disappointed after showing great form at the GP de Montréal. He's also commented on the decision to not have race radios: "The Sunday that crowned Remco, for example, was a big mess. At one point no one knew how many riders were in advance, we took 10 at a time, it was not clear how many were left in front, so much so that both Laporte (at the silver finish) and Van Aert (4th) declared that they did not they thought they were sprinting for the podium," the Italian said criticizing the decision as did other riders.

Bagioli rode to an anonymous 46th spot, but the Belgian team has kept it's rainbow jersey. On Evenepoel, Bagioli commented: "He will improve further, but I am willing to bet that he will be able to hold it calmly. He has great head, he manages to stay focused on his goals and he is part of a team that knows how to treat a world champion."

The experience will be key as he faces a season with constant media attention, having the rainbow jersey on his shoulders, the titles of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Vuelta a Espana and a possible Tour de France debut. The duo are likely to connect throughout the season, although schedules are widely undecided yet.

Asked what makes Evenepoel different, his teammate responds: "Well, the engine. That already makes your life easier. If you know that you have the skills to carry out actions that most of the group dreams of, everything is easier. Plus he is very convinced of his means. It made an impression on me when, as soon as I joined the team, I saw how he behaved."

"You could see that he came from football. He had clear ideas right away and never did anything to hide it, even in front of more experienced teammates. Since he wins and how he wins, he is right," Bagioli continued. 2022 saw Evenepoel deal better with the media pressure that's been on his shoulders ever since he was a junior rider. Controlled performances also saw him thrive at the Vuelta a Espana.

The Italian concluded with a story he's experienced in the day Evenepoel crashed down a ravine at Il Lombardia. "Even in that famous Lombardy held on August 15th 2020 he had left me speechless because in the pre-race meeting he had told us that he would attack, showing that he knew exactly how to move in the race and that he had no awe towards the big names they already had. won in the past the classic of dead leaves. You don't expect all this security from a young person," Bagioli concluded.