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This yr was at all times earmarked by Remco Evenepoel and Soudal Quick-Step because the season through which the Belgian prodigy would goal the Tour de France. While Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) notched up Tour titles, Evenepoel has taken a measured strategy to his improvement and first examined himself elsewhere.
A Grand Tour debut was made on the 2021 Giro d’Italia, Evenepoel then received the Vuelta a España in 2022 and final yr, the Belgian rode each in the identical season. Now, the 24-year-old has revealed a racing programme that’s tilted straight at a Tour de France podium bid on debut this summer time.
Learn extra: Remco Evenepoel unveils Tour de France focused race programme
However had been it as much as staff boss Patrick Lefevere, his star man would experience each the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France this season, very like Pogačar. Showing on the Rode Lantaarn podcast of former Fast-Step rider Bram Tankink, the 69-year-old was in regular good spirits, jesting {that a} Giro look for Evenepoel would have been financially profitable for the staff.
“His first concept was to do Giro and Tour, like Tadej Pogačar. Our coach talked him out of that, I saved silent properly. But when he had achieved the Giro I might have made some huge cash,” he laughed, earlier than explaining why it may need been sensible for Evenepoel to experience the Giro-Tour double.
“In a Grand Tour, riders are nicely taken care of, everybody is aware of that. It’s additionally hectic, however going for a podium end within the Giro would have taken away plenty of strain. Now there can be extra strain. However the coaches determined it, and I didn’t resist.”
Lefevere eager to defend staff from criticism
It’s no secret that Evenepoel had hoped so as to add a second Grand Tour title to his palmarès final season, which might have given him and his staff the boldness to focus on solely the Tour de France this summer time. However Covid took him out of the Giro final Could after a flying begin, and the Belgian suffered a momentary blip on stage 13 of the Vuelta, which ended his title bid in Spain.
By no means a rider to maintain his emotions to himself, Evenepoel is admirably sincere in his interviews and typically this opens up the Belgian to criticism. Earlier within the Vuelta, Evenepoel had made a passing remark {that a} stage-winning dash by rival Primož Roglič “was not really fast.” So when Evenepoel was surprisingly dropped in dramatic vogue on stage 13, the reigning champion got here below some robust scrutiny on social media.
It’s no shock then, that Lefevere is eager to alleviate strain from his riders’ shoulders, particularly, from Evenepoel.
“Up to now, our basic classification riders had been at all times left on their very own. Now, we’ve got a phenomenon that everybody expects to win the Tour,” he informed Tankink.
“You need to information them as a result of I hate it once they criticise my staff. Most individuals have a nasty reminiscence. They barely keep in mind 48 hours, which is why a disaster at all times solely lasts that lengthy. So it’s important to wait 48 hours to reply.
“However Remco, he’s a bit cautious of placing on a giant mouth after which not doing it.”
Learn extra: ‘Creating softies’ – Patrick Lefevere shoots down Grand Tour innovations
Conscious that his performances are below the highlight greater than most, Evenepoel and his staff could nicely have determined to skip the Giro d’Italia in Could, however the Belgian has been eager to downplay his personal expectations for the Tour.
A top-five end and a stage win is the ambition, as he told Het Nieuwsblad again in December. However may the 24-year-old come to remorse not using the Giro in Could? That reply could solely come to gentle in July.
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