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Patrick Lefevere looks to boost support for Remco Evenepoel this winter: "Before 2024 I am aiming for one extra climbing profile"
CyclingSaturday, 13 May 2023 at 11:29
Patrick Lefevere has talked about the Giro d'Italia in his most recent column in Het Nieuwsblad, as well as the changes that Soudal - Quick-Step may undergo in the future so as to support Remco Evenepoel's Grand Tour ambitions.
“I thought the press was acting rather alarmist. He himself didn't think that was a big problem," Lefevere said on the crashes that took the World Champion down during stage 5 of the race. "In Remco's words: 'As long as I'm still there myself, it's good'. You also have to want to see the work that the team had done before."
Yesterday at Gran Sasso d'Italia Evenepoel sprinted across the line leading the GC group, perhaps giving a signal to his rivals that he is not suffering from the injuries. He remains in second place at the overall classification as the GC riders rode up the final climb conservatively, however Lefevere didn't fully agree with the team's tactics on stage 4 when he lost the jersey.
"In the first two hours of racing it went particularly fast. Perhaps we even exercised too much control," he says, believing the team used up too much energy to try and prevent a strong breakaway from going up the road. Eventually the jersey was given away to Andreas Leknessund, something Quick-Step had likely planned to do since the start of the day.
"Personally, I had already let the first beautiful breakaway group ride. Brandon McNulty was in there, but at over five minutes in the standings I didn't think that was a big problem. Our team management saw it differently and then I also know my place.”
Ever since a lot has happened on the flat days but nothing has in the mountains. The standstill remains and today's hilly stage into Fossombrone provides another opportunity for splits to happen - albeit unlikely due to the conservative racing witnessed so far and the time-trial that is to come this Sunday.
On stage 4 however, the World Champion was isolated, much due to the team's extensive work early in the day. He was not attacked in the end, but it was a reminder of the vulnerability of the Belgian team in the mountains still. “All brokers are pulling my sleeve, but before 2024 I am aiming for one extra climbing profile. To perhaps add extra people in 2025," Lefevere added.
"Within the team, fifteen riders have reached the end of their contract this year. That gives opportunities on the transfer market, but I'm not in a hurry. In concrete terms, at the moment only the incoming transfers are for the reserves team, because we also want to strengthen them. For the pros I always follow the same strategy: first extend who we want to extend, only then look at reinforcement," he concluded.
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