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”
Cycling
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.”
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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