First climbing stage in the books, thanks to the team for the hard work today! ⛰🐺 Feeling good and focused for the upcoming days.👊🏼 #TheWolfpack
Against Tadej Pogacar on peak form it would be very hard to create damage, however Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team took to the start today with the goal of raiding the race and putting the Slovenian under pressure. The plan didn't work, however Remco Evenepoel does not take that as a defeat-
“We tried to make the race hard but there was a lot of headwind in the descent so you couldn’t really do anything significant. But I’m happy we tried. I notice I still lack a bit of punch against those guys on a climb like this, which we rode full gas. Pogacar had everything under control and he’s definitely the deserved winner. I was in the sixth or seventh position with 100 meters to go and I had to make up some ground, but I have no regrets, as the best man won.
In the first lap of the circuit in Bellante, Alaphilippe and Evenepoel launched an attack over the summit of the climb. For some kilometers, Evenepoel rode with Pogacar, former race leader Filippo Ganna and Jai Hindley. With a furious peloton chase behind though, the move didn't work. Evenepoel tried again in the final climb as Julian Alaphilippe cracked, but couldn't get the space he wanted between himself and the group. He finished fourth, just two seconds behind - plus bonifications - Pogacar and is sitting in second in the overall classification tonight.
"I’m still second in the GC, and as I said before, I’m here to give my best and try to be on the podium, and so far things are looking good. I’m looking forward to the next days," he concluded.
Evenepoel will have two hard stages where he will have to defend his second place in the GC. Unless any major mishap happens to the race leader Pogacar, it would seem unlikely that the Belgian will be able to get to first place. However there is a lot on offer in the following positions of the overall classification.
claps 0visitors 50
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- MvdP is just afraid losing Pogi on his sight. Since 2023 Tour of Flanders is a nightmare for him when he dropped.
James2631823-12-2024 - The only handicap for Pogi is heat in the Tour de France but it seems resolved drastically this year and it seems destined to take more glory to his unmatched palmares in years.James2631823-12-2024
- Everyone rides behind Pogacar.Sweep23-12-2024
- everything you hear about lance and his team back in their “glory” days is so weird and creepy and gross. it always just reinforces that at least among a certain group, lance isn’t hated and despised only for the doping — other dopers have been cast out but not HATED — it’s because he’s just an extremely AWFUL human being in virtually every way imaginable.OCexile23-12-2024
- When I ask AI "Has Tadej Pogacar ever raced cyclocross against Mathieu van der Poel?", the answer says NO. Is that really true? Wonder how they would do when clearly in van der Poel's territory.Ride197423-12-2024
- Next year in Rwanda, the peloton will likely be Strade Bianche Pogi style attack like we saw this last March.James2631823-12-2024
- There were a lot of riders whose biggest mistake was joining Armstrong's team. They all sold their souls. I remember Boonen losing the PR because he had to stop and wait for Hincapie to climb out of a ditch.Sweep23-12-2024
- Again, again and again..........Senna196023-12-2024
- Veni Vidi Viciabstractengineer23-12-2024
- Funny I've watched that moment a few times when Cancellara powered away and thought was that for real? Now Pogacar does similar regularly and I don't know what to think?roadman5412123-12-2024