The rain will not have overcome the rainbow. World champion jersey on the back, Remco Evenepoel won the oldest of the classics on Sunday April 23, raising his arms on the arrival of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. At the end of a solo effort, after having ejected from the peloton at the very end of the Côte de la Redoute, 34 km from the finish, the young Belgian leader of the Soudal-Quick-Step did it again, a year later having won the dean of the classics for the first time. Like last year, in a “Remco” style, mixing power and sudden starts.
“It’s magic to sign a second victory in a row, it’s a lot of pride with this beautiful shirt”, savored Remco Evenepoel at the microphone of Eurosport after the race. Since last year, the 23-year-old Belgian has expanded his prize list with the prestigious rainbow jersey, which distinguishes the reigning world champion in the peloton. Winning your favorite race with this tunic has a special flavor. “I wanted the photo for my room, here it is”smiled the winner of the last Tour of Spain.
If he can frame his arms raised on the Liège line, Remco Evenepoel will not have had to fight the expected battle. His main opponent, Tadej Pogacar, having been forced to retire following a fall after 85 km of racing. On a ground made soapy by the rain, the double Slovenian winner of the Tour de France, who was racing on Sunday to win the three Ardennes classics in a row (after his victories in the Amster Gold Race and the Flèche wallonne last week) was caught in the fall of Dane Mikkel Honoré (EF Education).
After initially getting back in the saddle, the Slovenian from the UAE Team Emirates team put on the turn signal, suffering from left wrist pain. His team subsequently communicated that the voracious Pogacar – 12 victories in 19 days of racing this year – suffered from several fractures, and was going to be operated on on Sunday for the left scaphoid in Ghent (Belgium).
A victory
If he was not caught in the fall, Remco Evenepoel was not far from his rival – the Ardennes duel between the two men being awaited by all observers. “I heard a horrible noise”exposed the world champion, evoking a « course difficile » and an “road has become very slippery”. The winner quickly showed his support for Pogacar. “We never want anyone to hurt themselves, I hope they are well. It’s unfortunate, but it’s racing, anyone can fall, I’ve experienced that too…” Before becoming the young king of Spain and Belgian cycling, Evenepoel came close to death in August 2020 after a fall during the Tour of Lombardy which saw him pass over a parapet in a poorly negotiated descent.
Unexpectedly rid of his main rival with more than 150 km to go, the Brabant leader of the Soudal-Quick-Step team set his troops at a steady pace. Starting with Julian Alaphilippe, who made his return to the oldest of the classics a year after having made a sun there, the starting point of a dark year. Struggling since the start of the season, like the other riders of the Belgian team, and called to order by the boss of the team, Patrick Lefévère, last week, the double French world champion has worked for his leader. In particular to help him clear the nine difficulties listed on the Ardennes race without any problems.
“What work from my team, it was not easy with the attacks of [la Jumbo-Visma] but they held up well and behind it we applied the plan, I had to make a difference in La Redoute, I gave it my all”, welcomed Remco Evenepoel. As if he had copied his strategy from last year, the Belgian spread his wings at the very end of the Côte de la Redoute, one of the last difficulties of the course, scattering the peloton, before distancing Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) nearly thirty kilometers from the end. The Briton finishes on the podium, with Santiago Buitraguo (Bahrain).
Solo winner in Liège, Remco Evenepoel brings a breath of fresh air to the Soudal-Quick-Step. Usually at the party during the spring classics but largely dominated by the Batavian hornets of the Jumbo-Visma since the beginning of the year, the Belgian team needed this success.
As for the world champion, who is now turning his gaze to the Tour of Italy (May 6 to 28), where he will cross swords with the Slovenian Primoz Roglic for the final victory. Their previous confrontation, during the Tour of Catalonia, turned in favor of the Jumbo-Visma rider after an incessant mano a mano (two stage victories each). Returning from a training course at altitude on the slopes of the Teide volcano, in Tenerife (Spain), Remco Evenepoel devoted himself to meticulous preparation to be able to win the Giro. But on Sunday evening, after his victory in Liège, the young Belgian intended to make a departure from this draconian preparation: “Tonight, I’m going to be able to eat fries!” », he smiled. Double dose, even, after a second victory over the dean of the classics.