Jurgen Van den Broeck thinks Dauphiné will provide answers about Remco Evenepoel's Tour chances: "I always thought: the feeling at Dauphiné must at least be good"
Cycling
It's been fourteen long years since last Belgian stood on the final podium of Tour de France in Paris and nearly 50 years since Lucien Van Impe's last triumph in 1976. While Van Impe probably won't find his successor in 2024, Jurgen Van den Broeck could see another compatriot finally crack the top 3 in Remco Evenepoel. According to the third man of 2010 Tour de France, the Critérium du Dauphiné (starting on Sunday) will already tell us a lot about the main Tour GC conteneder's shape.
Having podiumed both races back in his prime, Van den Broeck shares his experience on how the two races complement each other. "I always thought: the feeling (at Dauphiné) must at least be good. Afterwards you know that you still have a little time to fine-tune. But if the feeling isn't right, things rarely turn out right," he explains to WielerFlits. "In that respect it will be an important test for Remco and also for the other favorites."
The expectations of Evenepoel are never low, but is it even possible to be fully ready in such short period of time? "People underestimate the impact of having to rebuild what you have lost in fitness and muscles. Everything depends on the period during which you have been completely silent. If you can cycle again quickly, all in all, it won't be too bad."
At Tour de France 2023, Tadej Pogacar also looked well after his wrist injury, until the third week hit. "You have to take that into account. If you've been away for a while, part of your base will be gone. That always makes a difference, but you only notice it systematically. In the beginning you still race based on your recently acquired fitness level. But in the weeks that follow, fatigue comes on top of that. And then you quickly notice in your body whether something has happened in the preparation. If you want to be top-top for three weeks, those months beforehand have to go really smoothly."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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