Although Evenepoel bounced back from the disappointment of falling out of GC contention with victory on stage 14, the Belgian wasn't as successful on stage 15, Rui Costa emerging victorious. “The goal was to go for the stage and pick up some mountain points along the way, but I felt that my legs were still full from yesterday," he recaps. "I knew that if there were any accelerations on the last climb, it would be difficult for me. There were too many fresh men in the break who could make it difficult for me.”
"I still went quite deep, even though I was completely exhausted.
Klaas Lodewyck shouted in my earpiece to keep going, because they were starting to gamble at the front. Unfortunately there were a few sledders in my group. But you can't want everything, I got the most out of it," he concludes. “On Tuesday I'm going to let myself sink completely. I want to waste a lot of time there and come in quietly. And then try to compete again in the two difficult stages afterwards.”