24/03/2023

"He's my idol, it's a pleasure to race against him" - Remco Evenepoel defeated but respects Primoz Roglic's triumph in Catalunya

Remco Evenepoel was the favorite to take the victory today in Lo Port in the decisive finish of the Volta a Catalunya. However, he was surprised in the end by an extraordinary Primoz Roglic, who he could do nothing about.

The Soudal Quick-Step rider acknowledged the strength of his rival after the race: "In the last four kilometers I was the rider who decided the race a bit and in the end Primoz was very strong and was able to respond to all the attacks," Evenepoel told reporters at the finish line area.

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Evenepoel explained what happened at the end and the mistake he made by pulling away from Roglic's threat that made him lose strength and run out of options at the end: "He attacked 400 meters from the finish and then slowed down, he made me go out too early and I made the biggest mistake today," Evenepoels details, acknowledging he was caught in a trap.

"Otherwise I think we did a great job, everything in our hands, we were the only team with 3 riders at the end. I think as a team we did better than Jumbo today, but they took the stage". In a gesture that does him credit, Evenepoel acknowledged the superiority of his rival today in the Volta a Catalunya. Hecalled the Slovenian an "idol" and said that he has learned a lot for the future from what happened today:

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"We have to be happy, we did the race we had to do, we tried to leave him but, you know, it's Primoz Roglic, for me he's the best Grand Tour rider of the last years, he's done many podiums in Grand Tours. He's won the Vuelta 3 times in a row, he's my idol, it's a pleasure to race against him and what he did today in the last 600-700 meters is something I'll take away for the future," Evenepoel concluded.

Although it might have been an important psychological hit, the gap between the two onto the final two days of racing is only of 10 seconds, and Evenepoel has the opportunity to make the difference in the final day over the Montjuic circuit in Barcelona.