"Without that crash, I would’ve won the race" - Remco Evenepoel left rueing early fall at Amstel Gold Race 2025
CyclingSunday, 20 April 2025 at 17:45
Remco Evenepoel has hardly lost a beat after four months out through injury. Following a winning return to racing on Friday at Brabantse Pijl, the Soudal - Quick-Step leader put in a mammoth effort on Easter Sunday at the 2025 Amstel Gold Race, although he was ultimately forced to settle for 3rd spot on the podium.
Whilst he may not have won the race, Evenepoel did something that many have considered an impossibility over the last couple of years - he reeled back one of world champion Tadej Pogacar's trademark long-range solos. Pogacar had threatened to ride away to one of his typical solo masterpieces, but some powerful chasing by Evenepoel and Mattias Skjelmose did the impossible and pulled back the Slovenian. In the end though, it was Skjelmose that capitalised, sprinting to the win in a three-up fight for the line.
Afterwards, Evenepoel admitted he had mixed emotions having come so close to back to back victories on his return. “I’m standing here with mixed feelings,” Evenepoel began his post-race interview afterwards. “It’s good that we were finally able to reel Tadej back in. But I lost a lot of energy because of that crash. Without it, I would’ve won the race," he added, referring to an incident at just outside 100km to go that saw the Belgian hit the deck alongside Wout van Aert and Thibau Nys.
"If I’d been able to save that effort, I might’ve been able to attack again on the final ascent of the Cauberg. I’ll be back next year to win,” continues Evenepoel defiantly, admitting his final effort was far from perfect against Skjelmose and Pogacar. “In the sprint, I went a bit too early. If it comes down to a sprint in Liège, I won’t make the same mistake again. Still, I can’t really be disappointed, considering where I’m coming from.”
Read also
MATTIAS SKJELMOSE HAS JUST WON AMSTEL GOLD! 😲
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 20, 2025
The Dane beats Tadej Pogacar AND Remco Evenepoel in a thrilling sprint finish! pic.twitter.com/F7HL9uDgCK
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- So 50/50 huh? Not much of a prediction there.awp07-05-2025
- TdF history pretty resoundingly proves that may or may not be correct.itsent07-05-2025
- Stage win onlyabstractengineer07-05-2025
- Maybe she was pushed, she seemed too out of control for fellabstractengineer07-05-2025
- He wins the Vuelta because the best don't show up. With how he rides, he's better for the TdF but not good enough for who showsVeganpotter07-05-2025
- True, but unless Tadej or Jonas fall off their bike or get sick, no one is going to beat them. The 2014 Tour was decided by the Shark of Messina long before Contador or Froome were injured. I miss Nibali.awp07-05-2025
- Everyone thought Froome or Contador had the 2014 Tour locked up, and look what happened. Anything can occur in a race.itsent07-05-2025
- The handbags are already out aren't they? Let's see who pulls for who.Renz07-05-2025
- "I think they forgot last year, and when Jonas was injured," and I think you forgot 2023 L-B-L, when Tadej was injured and had to improvise a training without bike. Tadej only could riding a "normal" bike again only 2 weeks before the Tour. That TT he couldn't knowing well at all.
maria2024202407-05-2025 - It's unfortunate a rider of his caliber hasn't won the Tour de France and I can't fault him for trying, in fact, I respect it. But he never will win the Tour as long as Tadej and Jonas are in the peloton, and we might as well add Remco to that list as he is the youngest and seems to be coming up quickly behind Tadej and Jonas. I hope Primoz can capture another Giro and maybe another Vuelta before he calls it a day.awp07-05-2025
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.
I think one has to look at their actions across the finish line. Tadej gave Skjelmose a pat, whereas Remco was in anguish, understandably having pulled Skjelmose for most of the time. I don't think Tadej changes much. He can make some comments which are a bit off especially during TdF, but nothing as bad as Remco.