"When you try and give everything, there are no regrets" says Remco Evenepoel after losing over 27 minutes on stage 13 of La Vuelta

A lot of what Remco Evenepoel does on a bike is extraordinary. Aged just 23, he's already a multiple world champion, Grand Tour winner and Classics star. Sadly though, for the Belgian and his legion of supporters, it seems even his cracks are spectacular.

Heading into stage 13 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana as the defending champion and probably most realistic threat to Jumbo-Visma, Evenepoel was dropped with around 90km still to go and suffered badly throughout the day.

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Late on Friday night, Evenepoel posted a quick message to his official Instagram account, having avoided all post-stage interviews. "When you try and give everything, there are no regrets," he says.

So bad were Evenepoel's legs and so early did he crack that some believed he must have had some kind of illness. Soudal - Quick-Step sports director Klaas Lodewyck denied this was the case and now Evenepoel himself has tried to explain what went so badly wrong. "The tank was just empty today," he says. "Thank you to the team for the support and sticking with me until the end. Wolves never give up."

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