Marc Sergeant puts Remco Evenepoel on the same level as Tadej Pogacar after Amstel Gold Race: “"Even in Roubaix, give him a few more years”
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel finally made his much-anticipated return to
racing last week, immediately reminding the cycling world of his class. He
claimed victory at De Brabantse Pijl and then followed it up with a third-place
finish at the Amstel Gold Race, where Mattias Skjelmose surprised both
Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar in a thrilling three-man sprint finale.
Despite narrowly missing out on the win, Evenepoel received
high praise for his performance, particularly from Marc Sergeant, who shared
his thoughts with HLN. Sergeant highlighted the significance of
Evenepoel’s effort to reel in Pogacar after one of the Slovenian’s trademark
solo attacks, something that rarely happens.
"He does everything perfectly until the last kilometer,
but in the ultimate he could have done it differently. He lets himself be
pushed too easily," said Sergeant.
He also speculated about Evenepoel’s mindset going into the
final, "Was he too hungry? Was Evenepoel a bit too eager after the
Brabantse Pijl? Did he think: 'I've already beaten Van Aert in the sprint, so
I'll be able to do it with Pogacar too?'"
Still, Sergeant had nothing but admiration for the overall
performance, "But apart from his sprint: what a race Evenepoel is riding
again," the 65-year-old Belgian continued. "After this Amstel, it is
more true than ever: not only Pogacar but also Evenepoel can literally win
every one-day race. They have such an engine that they can suffocate any
opponent on any terrain."
In fact, Sergeant now sees Evenepoel on par with Pogacar, perhaps
even capable of matching his feats across the Monuments, "Even in Roubaix.
Give him a few more years and I wouldn't be surprised if he does what Pogacar
did last week."
As for Pogacar himself, Sergeant believes the Slovenian may
not be too disheartened by the outcome, "It must be one of the first times
that someone cracks his usual code in this kind of competition," he said.
"From fifty kilometres before the finish he can usually
do it on his own. But not now. That bodes well for Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Especially because I'm cautiously wondering: could there be a downward trend
for Pogacar after all these weeks?"
Looking ahead, Sergeant also suggested that Pogacar might
skip Flèche Wallonne to focus fully on Liège, "I wouldn't even be
surprised if Pogacar cancels his participation in the Walloon Arrow. Just
recover from this race and then go all out for revenge in Liège," which
takes place this Sunday.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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