"I rode up the Mortirolo three, four times" - Remco Evenepoel explains how he dealt with difficulty of riding steep climbs

Despite being only 23, Remco Evenepoel has already had several different stages to his career. Today he finds himself as one of the most versatile, complete and consistent riders but that wasn't always the case. In a recent interview he explains how he's worked on some of his flaws and his Giro d'Italia plan.

"Then I also rode one tough race. Prior to a grand tour," Evenepoel said in an interview with Castelli, recalling how he won the Clasica San Sebastian before racing the Vuelta a Espana. This year as he focuses on the Giro he takes on a similar preparation plan as he is set to try and defend his Liège-Bastogne-Liège title the weeks before the Grande Partenza in Sicily.

"Actually, the plan was not to ride classics, but as world champion and defending champion I think I should go," said Evenepoel. “The fact that I won that race opened a lot of doors. By winning Liège and also the World Cup, I may have more room to pursue my other goals: winning the three Grand Tours.'

The victory at the Corsa Rosa is likely his goal, "however, it won't be easy;" he admits. "I might see Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas as the top favourites." A route packed with time-trialing kilometers but also mammoth mountain stages in the final week, it will put to the test all the evolution he's overgone through in the past few years.

Having turned pro only a few years after beginning to do cycling, his bike handling skills cost him in his early years, struggling with positioning and technical descents. He had flaws in his armour which made him an easy target for specific types of attacks, but he feels confident that that is no more: "That is one of my strengths, that I can learn things quickly."

"Take the skills on the bike. When I got to the pros it became more difficult, because I was not used to cornering at high speeds in a peloton. That also applies to the aero position, so I think it's a talent of mine that I can adapt quickly," he explains.

Another obstacle of his was the piled on pressure from the media, and the non-stop comparisons to Eddy Merckx. Shoes that are virtually impossible to fill at this day and age in cycling, but nevertheless something that was put on his shoulders. But Evenepoel has surged through that pressure in 2022 having become a very open figure, visibly without that weight in his shoulders.

“Before my crash in the Giro di Lombardia, I was less able to deal with that, but now it no longer gives me negative energy. In the Vuelta I got compliments for staying so long talking to the journalists, but I know it would cost me negative energy if I didn't answer, for example," Evenepoel describes.

Another issue he has was in the steep climbs, but that has also been eliminated with hard work. “That may not have been a strong point before, but I rode up the Mortirolo three, four times, for example. I can tell you that it is no fun, but now those steep climber are no longer a shortcoming of mine," he tells.

A very dangerous rider for solo moves, time-trialing specialist, and as he shown in the Vuelta a Espana also a consistent and calm figure on the climbs, Evenepoel has worked through his flaws to become a headliner in the stage-races. "As a GC rider I think you have to master all aspects of the sport," he concluded.