“I’m not worried about Evenepoel. It’s Almeida if he hits his top level” – Danish expert points to UAE leader as Jonas Vingegaard’s biggest threat in Catalunya

Jonas Vingegaard may have conceded six bonus seconds to Remco Evenepoel on Stage 1 of the Volta a Catalunya, but the early general classification picture is already being framed in different ways.

Speaking to Eurosport.dk, Danish cycling expert Jesper Worre, not only played down the significance of Evenepoel’s advantage, but also pointed to Joao Almeida as a potentially more decisive rival as the race unfolds. “Jonas Vingegaard makes the difference in the mountains,” Worre explained, playing down the significance of the time lost in Sant Feliu de Guixols. In his view, bonus seconds are rarely decisive when the Dane is at his best.

That perspective runs counter to the immediate optics of the opening stage, where Evenepoel surged to second place behind Dorian Godon and took an early lead over one of his main general classification rivals.

But for Worre, the lesson from races like Paris-Nice is clear. “When Vingegaard is at his best, he usually doesn’t have problems with bonus seconds, because he makes the difference in the mountain stages.”

Vingegaard’s ride itself offered a revealing insight into his approach. Rather than getting caught deep in the chaos of a technical and fast finale, the Visma leader moved to the front on the descent and took control of his own positioning. “He did exactly what he said beforehand. He wanted to stay safe all the way to the finish,” Worre noted.

That decision saw Vingegaard spend around one and a half to two kilometres at the head of the peloton, a move that combined positioning with risk management rather than outright pursuit of the stage result. “The safest place to be on a descent is actually at the front, and he did that without taking unnecessary risks.”

While riders like Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock committed fully to the uphill sprint for victory, Vingegaard’s approach was more measured. He ultimately finished 11th, close enough to avoid any splits while staying out of the most volatile part of the finale. “He actually also rode a good sprint, even though he had been pulling. You can always fear gaps opening, but he came through safely.”

If Evenepoel’s early advantage is not a concern, Worre instead highlighted another name as the more significant danger in the general classification battle. “I’m not so worried about Evenepoel. It’s more Almeida, if he hits his top level.”

That assessment adds another layer to the race dynamic. While Evenepoel has already put time into Vingegaard through bonus seconds, Joao Almeida remains firmly positioned as a consistent and potentially decisive rival over the course of the week.

With another demanding finale expected on Stage 2, the early pattern of the race may yet repeat itself. But if Worre’s analysis proves accurate, the margins created in sprints along the Costa Brava could ultimately count for less than what unfolds in the mountains later in the race.