Remco Evenepoel starts Tour preparation with satisfaction: "Already better than this time last year"

Remco Evenepoel had to settle for third place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Early in the race, he accidentally joined a large breakaway, which immediately raised the stakes. After he was caught following a late attack, Evenepoel couldn’t keep up with Tadej Pogačar and Paul Seixas on the Redoute climb. Wielerflits attended the post-race press conference, where Evenepoel reflected on the race and looked ahead to his Tour de France preparation.

After the disappointment on La Redoute, was it mentally difficult to stay in the race, or were you able to switch gears quickly?
"No, that was okay. I quickly felt that my legs weren’t great in the finale. I focused on staying with the group on every climb to ensure we never got any gaps. On the Roche-aux-Faucons, Lidl-Trek went full gas to launch Mattias Skjelmose, but fortunately, we caught him four kilometers from the finish. After that, I fully focused on the sprint for the podium. Considering the legs I had, that was the best I could do."

Before Liège, you said Paul Seixas might struggle in the last hour because he's not used to such long distances. Were you surprised he was the only one able to follow Tadej on La Redoute?
"I said it was a question whether he could manage it, but he proved ready for a six-hour race. Ultimately, it’s not a huge surprise he could follow on La Redoute, because we had seen his results in recent months. He’s an excellent climber, and I think today he once again showed he is one of the world’s best climbers with a strong punch."

"The whole world can only tip its hat to him. It’s impressive to see such a young guy ready to fight for wins in these big races."

Did spending hours in the breakaway ultimately disadvantage you in the finale?
"I don’t know. At some point, many riders didn’t want to work anymore. If the group had cooperated better, maybe we could have built a bigger gap, because at the back UAE Emirates XRG’s squad was also at their limit. It’s always easy to say in hindsight. Maybe it would have been different with an extra teammate, but it was a crazy race situation that won’t happen again anytime soon."

"I’m not sure if it cost me those last few percent in the finale. The team will check the data and find an explanation. For now, I don’t think I lost much because of it. The situation was favorable for us because we didn’t have to chase from the rear, and I didn’t expend too much effort at the front. It was just very strange..."

How strong is your motivation to close the gap with Pogačar? Does this spring season—with Catalonia and these podiums—help you believe you can reach his level?
"I’ve already had many race days, and I was targeting this week to be in top form. I think I timed it well, but every day is different. I’ve been racing at a high level for a long period without much rest. I’m happy with the races over the past month. Now I have to stay calm because a long period is coming to prepare for the Tour."

"It’s already better than this time last year. In every race, I try to get the most out of it, and as a team, we have had a good spring. I had some bad luck in Catalonia with that crash, but overall, I’m satisfied."