Watch Remco Evenepoel in opening stage of Tour of Catalonia: "I want to take my chance"

In the opening stage of the Tour of Catalonia, sprinters may get a rare chance, although the final kilometer in Sant Feliu de Guíxols does rise noticeably. So the GC contenders with some punch in their legs are definitely worth watching as well. Remco Evenepoel has this stage circled in red in his race book.

The leader of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe doesn’t hide his ambitions. That was clear before the start of the opening stage. "Yes, I want to take my chance here," he was very clear to the Flemish media, including Het Nieuwsblad. "There is an 800-meter effort at the finish, so for me it’s not really a pure sprint."

"The strong puncheurs can certainly win here," expects Evenepoel, who three years ago – during his first Tour of Catalonia – already finished second in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. However, the Belgian points to a different rider as the one to beat. "For me, Dorian Godon (the French champion of INEOS Grenadiers, ed.) is today’s number one favorite."

"Positioning will be very important. For us, it’s key to be at the front on the last descent because that’s tricky. We’ll see if that’s enough for the win, because I’m not the fastest in the bunch. But if the sprint comes with tired legs, that’s good for me. Will it be a GC rider or a strong sprinter? It could be either."

Sports director Lodewyck: "Remco definitely has a chance"
His sports director at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Klaas Lodewyck, is also optimistic. "Remco definitely has a chance today, but there are others too. Dorian Godon and Ethan Vernon, for example, are in good form," Het Nieuwsblad quotes him. "It depends a bit on how the race unfolds, but it’s certainly not up to us to control it."

"The run-in to the sprint is quite technical, so we have to weigh the risks. If he’s well positioned, he can compete; otherwise, we just need to make sure he crosses the line safely. He’s fast, but if the others are in good position, they are tough to beat."