“I think he is a very good actor" - Adam Blythe impressed by Remco Evenepoel's Vuelta mind games

Remco Evenepoel has had a tumultuous first week at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana. After multiple crashes though, the Belgian leader of Soudal - Quick-Step enters the first rest day 4th in the GC, well positioned in the Red Jersey battle.

"Quite honestly, I think he's a very good actor," says Adam Blythe on Eurosport, about the Belgian, who despite disappointment, has maintained a positive outlook for the majority of the race to date. Referencing the stage 8 finale, where a miscommunication saw Evenepoel choose not to battle Primoz Roglic for the stage win, Blythe was impressed by the mind games. "He looked super calm after the stage. And I think that is alluring to Jumbo-Visma, being sort of like: ‘Oh god, I'm so angry that I didn't get it because, you know, I really wanted it’."

The Vuelta a Espana is finely poised at the first rest day, Sepp Kuss leads with Evenepoel 2:22 behind and Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard not far behind. “For me, he will be disappointed. But I think there's a little bit of acting in there just because he knows that Jumbo-Visma are going to see that," Blythe evaluates. 

On Tuesday, the 5th of September, an individual time-trial could see Evenepoel retake the Red Jersey. Kuss is not renowned for his abilities against the clock and with the Soudal - Quick-Step leader being the world champion in the discipline, Evenepoel will need a big effort if he wants to retain his Vuelta a Espana title.