Speaking in his own post-race interview, Evenepoel claimed a lack of racing fitness might be behind the lesser performance. “I’m not really disappointed, but it’s a shame I didn’t feel at my best in the finale - especially in this race. But I have to accept it," the
Soudal - Quick-Step leader explained. "You can’t expect miracles. To reach peak form, you need a long training period. And I haven’t been able to train properly yet. That much was clear today.”
“It was a sobering sight. This isn’t the real Evenepoel - it’s a very distant finish,” added the Sporza commentators, although both were also trying to search for positives.
“This is one of those moments that will take time to process, just a bit of a setback,” commented Vannieuwkerke in conclusion, with De Cauwer adding: “It’s not unusual. You often see riders come back strong after an injury, but then need a reset.”