Remco Evenepoel may need worn the Critérium du Dauphiné chief’s jersey earlier this week, however come Sunday’s closing stage, he lies as removed from the maillot jaune and the highest two males on GC, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, as he ever has.
On the finish of his Tour de France debut final summer time, Evenepoel took third place, 9:18 down on Pogačar and three behind second-placed Vingegaard. As soon as once more, at this Dauphiné, the 25-year-old is clearly third finest among the many trio, with Florian Lipowitz (Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) additionally stronger on the bike and better within the standings.
Evenepoel stated after stage 7, the place he completed over two minutes down on the ‘huge two’, that he prefers to check his rides to his personal efforts final summer time, reasonably than any of his Dauphiné and Tour rivals.
“I should not have a look at them, however at the place I used to be final yr,” Evenepoel instructed Sporza on Saturday, referring to his seventh place on the Dauphiné.
“Then I used to be ninth of the ‘smaller’ names – if I’ll say so – and additional behind. In comparison with final yr, I’m additional forward for myself.
“However after all, these males haven’t been sitting nonetheless both. In the meanwhile it’s focussing on myself and going in the future at a time.”
Until he can produce one thing spectacular on Sunday’s closing stage, Evenepoel appears set to complete off the rostrum this week, given he at present lies 4:11 off race chief Pogačar and 1:50 off third-placed Lipowitz.
He did rack up his third win of the season on the race, dashing to a comfy stage 4 time trial victory in Saint-Péray. Come the mountains, nevertheless, it has been the “similar story” on each days to date with “empty legs” betraying him on the ultimate climb, Evenepoel stated, earlier than gauging a number of of his opponents’ progress.
“It was one other tremendous tough day. The beginning was uphill, within the center it was uphill, and the top was additionally uphill. I used to be all the time properly in entrance,” he stated.
“Lipowitz may be very sturdy, however final yr there have been additionally males like Carlos Rodríguez and Matteo Jorgenson. Ultimately, they completed behind me within the Tour.
“You usually have males who’re a bit higher right here than within the Tour or who keep the identical stage whereas the remaining are getting even higher. It’s nice what [Pogačar] is doing, however hopefully he’s already on the high of his sport.”
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