Louis Vervaeke hits back at Trek-Segfredo DS: "Alex Kirsch cut Remco Evenepoel off"

On a rough day for Remco Evenepoel, the Belgian was involved in not one but two crashes. After his second trip to the road, Trek - Segafredo's sports director Steven de Jongh was slightly critical of Evenepoel and now his Soudal - Quick-Step teammate Louis Vervaeke has hit back.

“Remco's first fall was not bad, the second we have to wait and see," Vervaeke explains in conversation with Sporza. "How did the second happen? Remco heard his name and wanted to get away from the drumming. That made him look to the right, but Alex Kirsch - and that's not my best buddy - cut his off.”

Although Evenepoel is free from any broken bones, how hurt he truly is after the two crashes will only be revealed in the coming days. “We will know more on Thursday morning, but one thing is certain. Stage six will be a difficult stage for him," the Soudal - Quick-Step team doctor, Toon Cruyt revealed late last night.

“But it is always licking wounds when you go over the ground at sixty kilometres per hour. It was really terribly slippery, really unbelievable," recalls Vervaeke. "You stay with the top twenty all day long to avoid the danger, but you see that it can always happen.”