Remco Evenepoel reflects on cold mistake after ninth-place finish at La Flèche Wallonne: “That made me cold in the final and I lost energy”

Things didn’t quite go to plan for Remco Evenepoel at La Flèche Wallonne. After winning the Brabantse Pijl and finishing third at the Amstel Gold Race last week, expectations were high for the Belgian star. But on the Mur de Huy, he had to settle for ninth, a respectable result, though clearly not what he had hoped for.

Tadej Pogacar proved too good once again, launching a decisive attack on the final climb to claim victory. Evenepoel, meanwhile, faded in the closing moments despite feeling strong earlier in the race.

“It was a very difficult race,” Evenepoel said after the finish. “It was the first time I rode in the rain again and I felt really good all day. That’s why we set a very high pace for the race with the team.”

However, a small decision in the final proved costly. According to Evenepoel, the turning point came when he removed his rain jacket too early. “That made me cold in the final and I lost energy. I can only blame myself for that. When Tadej went, my legs locked up. I can only blame that on the cold, because I felt great beforehand.”

Despite the setback, Evenepoel remains optimistic ahead of Liège–Bastogne–Liège, which takes place this Sunday, a race he has won twice before.

“The feeling was good and the team was good,” he said. “Only the last kilometer and a half was tough, but for the rest I am satisfied. That is only motivating for Sunday.”

Soudal – Quick-Step did their part to shape the race, with team manager Klaas Lodewyck revealing their tactical intent. “The team raced ‘annoyingly,’” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “On narrower and more technical sections we rode faster than the other teams intended.”

Lodewyck acknowledged that the finish didn’t perfectly suit Evenepoel’s strengths, and that weather and physical condition played a role. “This is not a finish that suits him one hundred percent. The cold has broken him down somewhere and on top of that Remco is not yet at his big round weight. During his recovery after his accident in the winter we did not focus on that.”

The team had expected Pogacar to be a level above the rest, especially given his pedigree on the Mur. “We had therefore taken into account that Pogacar would be in a class of his own at this finish. Even after the Amstel, where he was not outstanding. In the end he was also the best there up to two hundred kilometres and of course he has already won on the Mur de Huy once before.”