"When I look at Visma now, they didn't ride a great Tour" - Patrick Lefevere hits back after criticism of Soudal - Quick-Step support for Remco Evenepoel
CyclingTuesday, 23 July 2024 at 13:00
For Patrick Lefevere, Soudal - Quick-Step and Remco Evenepoel, the 2024 Tour de France was a very joyful one. The team leader secured a podium on his debut at the French Grand Tour and super-domestique Mikel Landa very impressively took 5th overall himself.
"We are a year ahead of schedule," team boss Lefevere reflects in a post-Tour de France conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws. "I have always said that we should not aim for a podium place in the Tour before 2025. It is 2024, it is Evenepoel's first Tour and he comes third."
Ahead of the 2024 Tour de France however, there was much criticism of Soudal - Quick-Step's team built solely around supporting the time trial world champion, with many believing it was simply not up to scratch against the likes of Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates, Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Primoz Roglic's Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe support.
"There is very little that was not good. Always that nagging about our team, that it is too weak, everyone can now keep quiet about that. I know where we come from, I know the efforts we have made," Lefevere fires back at the doubters feistily. "Last year we were exactly a team of bunglers. Everywhere was better than ours. When I look at Visma now, they didn't ride a great Tour either. I hear the marketing talk, that they know exactly what they are doing and that they know how many watts Tadej and Remco are going to push in the third week. Well, I haven't seen the result of that either."
"If you look at this race and you see the progress he has made mentally, then I think there is still a lot of room for improvement. You also win a Grand Tour by staying calm. By resting a lot. He is very fanatical about that. Every minute of rest he could use, he has used," Lefevere continues, full of praise for Evenepoel. "It is to Mikel Landa's credit that he kept Remco calm. Remco does look up to him."
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- I guess most of us like Remco, but he's got a habit of making cocky statements. He might be right by his claim, but it doesn't do him any good.Ride197421-04-2025
- When was the last time Pogacar lost in a long range solo attack? I don't recall. Seems like he's got a smart head, knowing what's possible and what's not. Except this time.Ride197421-04-2025
- That's why I like Milan San Remo. The nature and position of the climbs makes it completely unpredictable. Any type of rider could potentially win.Ride197421-04-2025
- I feel like I'm having a flashback. Didn't Mattias beat two big guys in a sprint a while back, just like he did now? Was it Primoz and Remco? I tried to find the record but can't find it.Ride197421-04-2025
- The one thing in cycling that Pogacar is not good at is slowing down. At best he is a mediocre slower-downer.
Barney20-04-2025 - Though maybe it should be RIP Barry Hoban? Not being critical of Wout with that.Mistermaumau20-04-2025
- Sorry but that just sounds like post-race excuse seeking. Slowing down to let them catch up? Well, yes a good idea actually but, that’s not exactly what happened and if that was the plan it was executed really badly. Firstly there was at least one moment when the gap coming down grew again, considerably. And more importantly, why if you realise the headwind is killing your chance of holding out do you slow down only a little to make it so long for them to catch you? Slow down fast, let them catch you and conserve way more energy to be available for the expected sprint. You killed your own good chances more than once this time.Mistermaumau20-04-2025
- Well, as you’re ambiguous about it and refuse to clarify, yes, good idea.Mistermaumau20-04-2025
- You half still expect it from Remco but Tadej seems to have changed lately, some of his comments are just off compared to his previous nice guy style. I don’t know if he feels less strong or more vulnerable, if something around him has changed, the crashes have affected his thinking, he can’t deal well with losing or whether he is just worried his macrocycle from last year is coming to an end but something’s different about him at the moment. Also, I don’t think he and Remco will ever really be buddies and it won’t take much for respect between the two to die. The good news is, aren’t we spoiled lately, when is the last time there were so many top level competitors in both one day and stage races? And the list should continue growing a few more years coz’ there aren’t many about to stop or losing form yet.Mistermaumau20-04-2025
- Instead of giving credit to Skjelmose both Evenepoel and Pogacar whine about crash and headwind.. hopefully Mattias will take it to them again at Flèche and Liège..
UltimateOpportunist20-04-2025