Dressed in the Belgian time trial champion’s jersey, Remco Evenepoel set off from the Fossacesia Marina ramp on Saturday May 6, shortly after 4.30 p.m. Impressive from his first pedal strokes, the prodigy of the Soudal Quick-Step team, one of the favorites for the coronation in this 106e edition of the Tour of Italy, struck a blow from the inaugural stage.
At the end of some 19 kilometers of a flat and straight time trial, on a cycle track between an abandoned railway line and the beaches of the Adriatic, the Fleming is 22 seconds ahead of his runner-up of the day, the Italian Filippo Ganna ( Ineos-Grenadiers), one of the best exercise specialists. He puts on the first pink jersey of this Giro, the first of his career, at 23 years old.
Sitting on the “hot seat” when Remco Evenepoel crossed the line in Ortona, the face of Portuguese Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates, 3e at 29 seconds) said a lot: the young road world champion stunned the competition.
“There are still twenty steps”
Starting with Primoz Roglic. Presented as his main rival in the quest for the final victory, on the evening of May 28, in Rome, the rider of the Jumbo-Visma already shows a disbursement of 43 seconds over his rival. The Slovenian however did not perform badly, finishing 6e. “You have to stay optimistic, huhreacted the thirty-something at the microphone of Eurosport. There are another twenty steps. »
The Belgian knew that to outrun his elder, he had to “be better than him in time trials”. “This is the recipe for beating him, even if he is an Olympic champion [en titre du chrono]had explained Remco Evenepoel in a press conference, Thursday, May 4, a few days before the big departure. It won’t be easy”. Really ?
Two other times are on the program for this Giro, including that of the penultimate stage which ends with a climb to Monte Lussari, in the Alps, on May 27: 7.3 km at 12.1% on average with a peak at 22%. A deadline which, on paper, suits Remco Evenepoel perfectly, as well as Primoz Roglic. But there is still a long way to go until then.