"I understand that people may have doubts, but I don't care" - Remco Evenepoel retains faith in Tour de France challenge despite more Dauphine time loss
CyclingSunday, 09 June 2024 at 09:43
Remco Evenepoel didn't have the best day on stage 7 of the 2024 Criterium du Dauphine. The Soudal - Quick-Step leader was dropped with 7km to go on the final climb on stage, dropping from 2nd in the general classification to 6th as a result.
“What did I learn today? That there is still work to be done," the 24-year-old Belgian admitted honestly in his post-stage interview with the Belgian media. "I understand that people may have doubts, but I don't care. This doesn't cross my mind. There is certainly still work to be done, but there is no reason to panic. I just have to get better.”
Earlier in the day, Soudal - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere had eluded to Evenepoel's current weight being a problem in his Het Nieuwsblad column. "Before the Dauphiné, I already told all the journalists: our riders have to be top at the end of June at the start of the Tour. Should Remco already be at his best level now, we have a problem. He would then have to stretch that for another six weeks," Lefevere wrote. "In weight, for example, Remco is not yet at Tour level now. Another kilo or a kilo and a half has to come off, which usually goes smoothly with him. After the Dauphiné, the Tour team will go on another stage to Isola 2000. There we will work on the last percentages."
Posed with these comments post-stage, Evenepoel admitted he is bigger than would like at this moment. "That is obvious. I'm not at Tour weight yet," he explains. "I also took a break for three weeks. I am someone who can easily gain two kilos at that time. That will be gone by the most important moments in the Tour. I know myself well enough.”
Now over two minutes down on Primoz Roglic, any hopes Evenepoel had of entering his Tour de France debut on the back of overall victory at the Dauphine look slim. Having managed his efforts well after being dropped however, the podium is only 1:02 away and as such, cannot be ruled out.
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santiagobenites08-05-2025 - I wouldn't call 24 seconds destroyed. At the end she was suffering and Reusser was slowly reeling her backabstractengineer08-05-2025
- I dont expect much from them top 5 maybeabstractengineer08-05-2025
There is no challenge from Remco to Pogi. Almost everybody can see that now.
Sometimes an athlete and a DS might have to admit that some men are great one day racers and others grand tour riders. There's nothing wrong with that. Remco has done some pretty amazing one day rides that could fill a career.
I know Jonas is on a higher level than Remco but they both had somewhat similar injuries from that terrible crash, except Jonas was a bit worse off with is lung injury. This further tells me Jonas is going to have a rough time @ the TDF...
A lung injury is a bit worse than a broken collarbone?
I guess he had surgery on the collarbone???, I know Recmo had surgery. I've broken three collarbones and collapsed my left lung once, I'll take the collarbone breaks every time over a collapsed lung.
My last collarbone break I was on the trainer two days later and didn't lose any form, when I crashed and punctured my lung it took me three months to get right again.
Yes, they could be using this strategy, I certainly hope Jonas is going to be back to normal as I want to see the show, but I seriously doubt he will be back in time... But you never know, I'll provide some "glass half full" thoughts.