"I feel a bit like Tadej Pogacar as I’m wearing the same white jersey" - Battling Remco Evenepoel Best Young Rider at 2024 Tour de France after two stages

Keeping his 2024 Tour de France hopes alive, Remco Evenepoel fought bravely and battled hard to get back into contact with the attacking Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard on stage 2, moving up to 2nd overall and into the White Jersey of Best Young Rider in the process.

“I think these first two days have gone pretty well both for me and for my team," reflected Evenepoel happily post-stage, having fought back from being distanced by Pogacar's initial attack on the San Luca, to actually catch and then finish ahead of the Slovenian in the finale. "We have proven that the shape is there. I need some more power in my legs if I want to follow accelerations like Tadej’s, but that will come as we pack more racing days in."

Despite being distanced by Pogacar's first attack of the 2024 Tour de France, Evenepoel ends the day with wholly positive vibes. "Actually, the legs were there - I was just too far back at the bottom of the climb and had to close a gap between two groups midway, so I burned some matches there that were missing later," the Soudal - Quick-Step leader explains.

"Yet I am very happy that I could later come back to Tadej’s and Jonas’ wheels. It was a very hard chase, but I kept pushing because I could see that I was coming closer and closer. It is very good for my confidence that I bridged back with them," the Belgian concludes, full of optimism. "On the other hand, we all knew that this was a very specific stage, and that Tadej is the best in these type of efforts. It has been a good GC day, and now I feel a bit like Tadej as I’m wearing the same white jersey that he has been sporting for ages! It is an honour to lead this classification.”