Key domestique Louis Vervaeke rues Remco Evenepoel's absence in the Ardennes: "Our leader is gone. Mentally that is very difficult"
CyclingSaturday, 13 April 2024 at 13:24
Louis Vervaeke is Remco Evenepole's right-hand man, this year alone already having contributed to the Belgian's performance a the FIgueira Champions Classic, Volta ao Algarve, Paris-Nice and Itzulia Basque Country. Vervaeke will still race the Ardennes despite Evenepoel's absence, but is aware that it's a completely different situation now.
"Normally I ride all the Ardennes classic. So I'm very curious to see what I can show there," Vervaeke told In de Leiderstrui. "I was actually going to ride for Remco in the upcoming races, but that has changed. It is of course a great shame that our leader is gone. Mentally that is very difficult. Luckily for a rider like me, this gives a rider the opportunity to take his own chance for once. And of course I have to seize such an opportunity with both hands."
Evenepoel was to lead the team in these classics, but as is the case with most of the spring classics thus far, the team will likely be thinned down and have small chances of fighting for a podium in any of them. Evenepoel fractured a collarbone and shoulder blade in the mass crash at Itzulia which ended his spring. "We speak to each other a lot, but in my opinion it is up to Remco himself to communicate how he is doing."
Vervaeke himself has taken a result in the Basque Country, and will be motivated to try and take what is a rare opportunity to chase his own results. At Amstel Gold Race, he is perhaps the team's biggest hope to feature in the Top10. "Of course, I realize all too well that I don't win a race easily. We don't have an outspoken leader. Everyone gets their chance to go for it," he says. "There is a little more freedom. We have some interesting trump cards to play. I don't associate a specific result with it for myself, but I do want to perform very well across the entire line of hill classics. A top five place would be very nice."
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- 1 will never know wth was UAE's tactics on this stage other than to lose the Giro
leedorney01-06-2025 - Hate to remind the author but he hasn’t won it yet. Not wishing any mishaps on anyone but…Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- I think they tried that in TdF. Visma was not happy that some strategic communications was leaked or something like that. It wasn't compulsory for every team to join. Did they stop it last year? I don't recall hearing radio communication last year.
KerisVroom01-06-2025 - When you’re a paid employee or contractor or self-employed you arrange what is best and parties either agree or not. Stating in advance how far you’ll go in a race because you have a specific task and other obligations is NOT being a quitter.Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- I tend to agree, it shows his immature side which is why he still can’t technically be a leader but then he doesn’t really need to be to achieve what he does. He’s won enough but he might have won even more with a little more foresight. It changes the spectator profile too, attracting more casual viewers (and by extension even crowds not really interested in cycling just to see what all the fuss is about just like people started taking a peak at football to find out what the Messi/Ronaldo fuss was about) to see the phenomenon whereas a Giro like this year attracts more loyal or passionate cycling enthusiasts, less of the beer throwing crowd.Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- You only read the title? Crash down has more subtle meanings too though it’s not used particularly well here, probably a foreigner’s bad attempt at a play on words.Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- Exactly, and most comments and commentators are always quick to point at the riders but riders are cooked and focused on riding, at many moments they aren’t capable of stringing together three sets of constantly changing variables into a logical strategical decision for change of tactics, that’s why they have earpieces and race directors who see the global picture, how it’s evolving and who have the luxury of being able to extrapolate what will happen if this or that and SHOULD be instructing riders how to continue. Maybe the day will come when like in F1 viewers (or just premium ones) will get to listen in on the chatter?Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- So nice that some people get to enjoy preparing for just one stage for do many months, and are then admired for achieving their goal :-)Mistermaumau01-06-2025
- Yates led by 1:40 over the top of the final climb which in theory should have been easy to recover except for Wout the hero. Wout won it for Yates by pulling himself inside out through the valley! The DS's of both UAE and EF should have been yelling at their riders to not let Yates get away knowing that Wout was waiting on the downhill.VgnRider01-06-2025
- So happy for Simon Yates, chapeau! Full circlemhfrvz01-06-2025
Mr Vervaeke, you can whine all you want, but cannot always relied on Remco all the time. He's not known to avoid bad luck cycles and being consistent racer, race after race. You and Patrick are no different! Sour grapes for you both! Sour grapes!
This is what happens, when you relied heavilly mainly on one rider. Everyone must step up, in absence, since this bad luck cycles can happened to any team. Not even UAE is immune to cycles of bad luck!
Yeah. He is also have a pretty obnoxious attitude too. Which can easilly rub other people the wrong way. Despite he is not the biggest name on the peloton, he lets his mouth do the talking alot. Not a fan of atheletes like him. It's like peak McGregor again😑😑😑
Even if he is around, Quickstep is a darkhorse for GT at best!
Speaking objectively Remco is a great racer as shown by his results. “Obnoxious “ is completely subjective- the guy has drive and I like that. To each his own.
Seeing him complaining like a drama queen alot, so he has an obnoxious attitude who can rub people the wrong way. It's either you love it, or hate it, really.
Despite he is no where near the biggest name in the peloton! It is true, he is uberly talented, great racer, blah, blah, blah, however having talent alone can get only so far. Hope the crash humble him somewhat, since he has quiet big ego there😅🙄🤐.
Can't be the darkest horse, while acting like the main pratagonist. If you know what I mean😅