"The more stages I can finish in a defense mode without time loss, the better" - Remco Evenepoel enters decisive final Vuelta a Espana week

The Vuelta a Espana is not far from being concluded. Remco Evenepoel has not shown the dominance he had in the opening week, however he defended himself in the toughest summit finishes the race had to offer, and is still carrying the red jersey into the final week.

“Danger is around every corner we could see yesterday as well. Kelderman had a bad crash and on the slippery roundabouts there were crashes. I think everybody is getting a bit scared of the roads here in the south of Spain," Evenepoel said in a press conference on the final rest day. "We are all going quite slow in the corners because it’s really slippery. It’s really dangerous and nobody wants to get out of the Vuelta in the last week because of a crash and it’s the same for me. Everything can still happen.”

Having led the GC group into Peñas Blancas on stage 12 after a crash that has seen him with some marks. However on stages 14 and 15, perhaps the hardest summit finishes of the race, Evenepoel managed to loose approximately only a minute to both Enric Mas and Primoz Roglic. With the lead he's built up over the opening week's summit finishes and the time-trial, he enters the final week with some buffer over his rivals.

“My only task is to follow [Roglič]. That’s the goal. But I think the fight for second place in the GC is going to be more open too. Because they are only 25 seconds away from each other. Movistar needs the points, and second place in the GC compared to a third place in the GC is a lot of points difference. So it’s not only Primož, it’s also López, who was going really strong this weekend," he said. "We’ll see, but it’s not all about Jumbo and Roglič. It’s about all the whole top five of the GC in my eyes. I think the more stages I can finish in a defense mode without time loss, the better. And then it’s one big fight on Saturday.”

The final week does not present stages as hard as the past two, however the fatigue and loss of teammates will make a difference in every GC rider. “We’re going to see day by day and never panic, even if I still would lose a bit of time. Being in this situation, knowing this before the Vuelta I would have signed for it. So, I think everything that still happens now is extra. A stage win and a top 10 or top five would be my big dream, and I think we are ready well on the road for that big goal and dream.”

The Belgian has seemingly not only resisted the attacks of his rivals but also the pressure from the media, and has kept racing within his own limits throughout several summit finishes, avoiding what could be a psychological blow. “I just was a bit scared to go above my limits as well yesterday. That’s why I just kept pushing my own power," Evenepoel explained regarding stage 15, where he paced for Roglic throughout large kilometers in the final ascent. "And I think overall on such a hard stage the time loss was quite limited. It’s now the third week – the guy with the best legs will probably be the best in the mountain stages but the growth is very far from over, that’s for sure.”