Remco Evenepoel’s Short-lived Frustration Over Missed Huez Victory
From Felix Mattis in Le Bourg d’Oisans
On the final stretch, Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe made a powerful sprint past Sepp Kuss, securing a second-place finish in the challenging stage at Alpe d’Huez. Despite the effort, he finished 26 seconds behind Richard Carapaz, missing out on his third stage victory in the 113th Tour de France. Initially, the result left him feeling frustrated.
“Coming this close was a bit disappointing with my winner’s mentality,” Evenepoel stated in an interview shortly after the race. However, his mood quickly shifted once he reflected on his achievement. “I only learned after crossing the finish line that Sepp Kuss had crashed, and under normal circumstances, we would not have taken the win. I then realized that finishing second at the Tour, showing an excellent performance on the last genuinely tough stage, is quite an achievement. So, I have to be very satisfied,” he added.
Assessing the Race Strategy
Before cleaning up and facing the media, Evenepoel emphasized that he still wished he could have attacked earlier. Three kilometers from the finish line, he stepped up the pace, breaking away from a group containing potential rivals like Tadej Pogacar and Lenny Martinez. Despite this, his timing proved too late to close the significant gap to Carapaz.
Team director Ralph Denk acknowledged that their strategy could have been different. “We could have taken more risks during the final climb and maybe even gained seconds on the descent. Yet, after seeing how others struggled on the descent, I preferred our strategy,” he remarked. Despite the close rivalry for victory, Denk emphasized that securing two stage wins and holding the second position overall was paramount. “We don’t want to risk everything and crash, especially after the near-fatal accident involving Kuss,” he said.
A Trusting Team Dynamic
Evenepoel pointed out that the team had a plan for the stage win but felt compelled to trust Jai Hindley, who was doing well early in the race. “We had him at the front, and he was in a good position to win,” Evenepoel explained. As the race progressed, he noticed the gap widening on climbs like Telegraphe and Galibier and acknowledged that they could have shifted strategies earlier. Still, he expressed no regrets about their decisions, asserting that they had given Hindley his fair chance while he managed to assist Evenepoel in the last kilometers leading to his attack.
Ultimately, Evenepoel did not secure the stage win, but he firmly maintained his second overall position with a comfortable 3:16-minute lead over third place. With just a final stage in Paris remaining, the podium seems secure unless significant misfortunes occur.
A Balanced Approach for Paris
With the final stage approaching, both Evenepoel and Denk are cautious about celebrating too early. “The final stage isn’t a classic celebration; it’s a real race where we can lose everything we fought for in the last 20 stages,” Denk cautioned, emphasizing a focus on safety and defense.
However, the allure of a stage win in the city where Evenepoel became a double Olympic champion is undeniable. “Remco is a thoroughbred racer, and he will certainly want to give it another shot,” said Denk. Evenepoel confirmed, “We will try something but not risk everything!”
This commitment to balancing ambition and caution encapsulates Evenepoel’s racing philosophy as he aims for both safety and the thrill of competition in the closing stages of one of the most prestigious cycles in the sport.
