Remco Evenepoel bounces with win in Suisse: "It was a difficult week for me with a lot of ups and downs"

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team had a successful day, winning the final stage and overall classification at the Baloise Belgium Tour, but also taking the win in the last day of the Tour de Suisse as Remco Evenepoel bounced back to take a stage win.

“It was a difficult week for me with a lot of ups and downs. The last few days I felt a bit better and I'm very happy that I won here," Evenepoel said in the post-race interview. He had came to the race with high ambitions for the overall classification, however they faded as he struggled with the heat throughout the decisive stages, having dropped down to 13th place.

However the final day of the race provided a final opportunity for the Belgian to recover, and he's taken it with both hands with the fastest time on the final time-trial. “The first days I was good, but I missed the freshness. On the fifth day I completely exploded. Because we weren't focused enough, we made some mistakes and I completely lost my classification. After that I always tried to hook up as long as possible to move up a few places in the standings, now I am eleventh or something like that," he added.

It won't be the result he hoped for, but the stage win assures the 22-year old with a worthy result. He explained the difference in feeling: “The last few days I felt fresher when I got up. The legs also turned a bit better and that came out today. I had a pace plan today, but I couldn't stick to it at all. Fortunately I managed to keep a steady pace, so I think I won today, but it was very close. When Thomas only came out of the last corner, I was certain of the victory," he concluded.