27/03/2023

Soudal Quick-Step's DS - "Sure that Primoz can crack if we can put him there under pressure from the start"

In the lead-up to the Giro d'Italia, teams have been able to gather crucial information on riders during the Volta a Catalunya. Over the last week, Jumbo Visma and Soudal Quick-Step are two teams that have gained valuable knowledge from this data.

Klaas Lodewyck, Sports director of Soudal Quick-Step, shared a few details with Het Nieuwsblad. “What I remember is that we cracked Roglic in the most difficult stage, towards La Molina.” He was talking about stage three, where Remco Evenepoel emerged victorious over Primoz Roglic.

Video: How Remco Evenepoel won the final battle with Primoz Roglic at the Volta a Catalunya

He continues, “If an additional five kilometers were climbed, he would get a minute on his pants. The more climbs along the way, the better for Remco. The two stages where Primoz performed well are those where it was flat all day and which were concluded with half an hour of climbing. In the Giro there are a few stages with a lot of altimeters. I am sure that Primoz can crack if we can put him there under pressure from the start.”

Merijn Zeeman of Jumbo Visma agrees that Remco Evenepoel has developed, but he also contends that the level of competition at the Giro d'Italia will be distinct and that he cannot improve that much in such a short time. “Evenepoel said before the start that he was at ninety per cent. If so, he will fly to Italy. I have to laugh at that. The powers that everyone, including Remco, drove this week were not normal. If you add another ten per cent to that, it will rise into the air.”

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While there were no time trial stages in the Catalunya, the Giro d'Italia will offer more than seventy kilometers of time trials this year, which could be a decisive factor. “Primoz is also strong against the clock, but those new kids on the block are very strong. And Evenepoel is still next level. In the Giro, Primoz may have to make up for a backlog as a result,” admits Zeeman.

His final analysis is that both riders are currently at a comparable level. "There is little difference now between Evenepoel and Roglic, and I think no one can predict who will make it to the final," concluded Zeeman.