Remco Evenepoel had to take a sensitive blow today in the Tour de Suisse. The world champion opened the attacks on the final climb, but went on red a bit and ran out of energy on the final.
“I took a little too much work on my shoulders and paid for it with,” the world champion said.
Evenepoel attacked with just over six kilometers before the finish, but was unable to drop Felix Gall and Mattias Skjelmose. In fact, the Soudal Quick-Step rider hit his limits in the closing kilometers.
“We started the final climb shivering. It was cold because of the rain. After that, Mattia Cattaneo and James Knox set a high pace. We had to try something to get Stefan Küng out of the leader’s jersey. I had to go attack because my team was exhausted. That may have been a little too early. There were two riders who could still follow.”
“I took a little too much work on my shoulders and paid that on the hardest part of the climb. There I felt that it is not great.”
“I just knew it will be a bad moment of 2-3 minutes. It will be some after-effects of my corona infection.”
Evenepoel crossed the line in fourth place, 21 seconds behind stage winner Skjelmose.
“I am pleased. We’ve tried and nothing is lost yet. Tomorrow the climbs will be even longer and those are different efforts. I also hope that it stays dry and that there is better asphalt, because today it was a bit disappointing.”
