"It’s an amazing job what he’s done" - Lefevere praises Evenepoel's Vuelta a Espana preparation sacrifices

Remco Evenepoel's upcoming Vuelta a Espana will be an important gauge for the years to come, but whatever happens the ambitions will be high for the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team leader.

‘Realistically it’s a mystery for us. We have no precedent. We know that he can win Algarve and everyone says that’s easy, but in Switzerland he had a bad day and then everyone shoots at him, but he’s a winner, he’s a killer," Patrick Lefevere told Velonews. "He went deep to win in Norway, even though it was less important than Switzerland. For him, winning is winning. He sacrifices everything to win. Between Norway and Switzerland he probably wasn’t totally recovered but now we give him all the recovery possible between training and rest."

With only one race day before the Vuelta a Espana - which was his victorious Clasica San Sebastián ride - the team has put a focus on keeping the Belgian fresh. Having specifically trained for the mountains, lost a significant amount of weight and avoiding injuries and illnesses, Lefevere is confident that Evenepoel will be able to eye the race with his best form.

“I don’t know what more he could have done to be ready for the Vuelta. If he gets a result it’s fantastic," Lefevere argued. "If he doesn’t there will be some disappointment but if you look back he still won 10 or 11 races with two classics. Lots of riders go home with not even 20 percent of that".

“It’s an amazing job what he’s done. Not just now but the entire year since Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He’s sacrificed a lot for months of training without competition and that’s not easy. He’s really strong in the head because that commitment is a lonely job, and the hours on the bike need to be put in. Even if you’re not alone, and you have a soigneur with you, it’s an incredible sacrifice and dedication," he added.

Lefevere is confident that the 22-year old is ready for the Vuelta and has largely prepared the second half of his season surrounding it. The coming weeks will show if the work has been good enough. “When you have a bad day at a camp it’s easy to turn around and go back to the hotel but he had a scheme and a program and every day he stuck to it no matter what his feelings were. Chapeau," the team manager revealed.