"Now we can't let ourselves be caught anymore" - Lefevere keen on Quick-Step's Vuelta a Espana win

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team are close to a feat that would be incredibly important to the team's history, as Remco Evenepoel is close to winning the 2022 Vuelta a Espana. Team manager Patrick Lefevere has talked about the Belgian supertalent ahead of the final two mountain stages of the race.

"I will be happy if we can ever win with the team with Remco in the Tour," he told Vive Le Vélo last night. "That will probably be from the retirement home for me. I still hope so. We've always said 2025 is a good time frame." This comes as a step further, but the Belgian has now proved to be capable of handling a Grand Tour, specially with the pressure that has been put on him for several years. 

"Today [stage 18] he certainly showed that he is a great champion. Everyone was at the limit in the final of the stage. A real champion makes the difference there. He did that with that ultimate sprint in the last straight line," Lefevere said. The race leader was again attacked on the slopes of the Alto del Piornal, but he managed to sustain the attacks of Enric Mas and sprinted to the stage win, his first in a mountain stage at a Grand Tour.

Before the race there were very mixed quotes from both of them, and Lefevere has said that it did really come as a surprise the performance that the 22-year old is putting out: "I would be lying if I said I expected this. I would have thought of a top 10 place and possibly a stage victory, but of course you hope for more. This means a lot to him and to us. We know what sacrifices Remco did."

"...Our team is currently experiencing a moment of glory, but I'm trying to keep everyone calm everywhere. I don't want the Remco mania he felt in the Giro anymore," Lefevere pointed out crucially. "I myself leave him alone as much as possible. I have contact with him with short phone calls and Whatsapp messages, but I mainly let him be himself."

Evenepoel will have to resist two more days of expected attacking from Enric Mas, a former Quick-Step riders, who Lefevere has commented on: "I know Mas of course. I caught him with the youth because he had a lot of talent. He is an excellent rider and a beautiful person, but he lacks some killer instinct. Remco has that."

"Everyone criticized, but we showed that we have a high-quality climbing block. A leader is only as good as his team. Now we can't let ourselves be caught anymore. Let the others drive one after the other. When we slowed down a few days ago, AG2R immediately took the lead. For 10th place, please. We have to exploit that from now on," he concluded.