Evenepoel accepts limits after brutal Liège - 'I immediately felt I wouldn’t play a role'

After the team presentation on Saturday, the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider had outlined a clear and familiar script for La Doyenne. “Everybody knows that La Redoute is always the climb where this race is usually decided,” he said then. “I don't see any other scenario this year. It will just be up to me to be there with the legs and to race smart as well, and try to go for it.”

The race, however, had barely found its rhythm when that scenario was already disrupted. A crash split the peloton early on and a group of around fifty riders went clear, with Evenepoel among them, more by circumstance than design.

“What happened? No idea,” he said to Sporza. “I was just at the front at the start and it was already fast. Suddenly we were gone with 40 or 50 riders. It was a surprise for me as well, I didn’t really realise what was happening.”

The move immediately changed the dynamic. With Evenepoel up the road, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Decathlon CMA CGM behind were forced into a long chase, raising the tempo and stretching the race earlier than usual.

“For many it was probably a problem that I was there, because it reduced their chances,” he said. “But from such a group someone can always go clear. That didn’t happen, so it was a strange part of the race.”

Evenepoel insisted it did not decide his result.

“In the end I didn’t really spend that much energy there,” he said. “It didn’t change my result, I was still able to fight for a podium.”

Once the race reset and moved towards La Redoute, the expected scenario returned. The difference was in the feeling. “My positioning was good on La Redoute,” he said. “I just had tired legs at that moment.”

When Tadej Pogačar accelerated, with Paul Seixas following, Evenepoel immediately understood where he stood.

“They just went very hard from the bottom,” he said. “I immediately felt that if another attack came, I wouldn’t play a role.”

Evenepoel was distanced early on the climb and chose to ride at his own pace to limit the damage. With a gap of more than 30 seconds at the top of La Redoute, it was clear the win was gone and the focus shifted to the podium.

“That’s difficult,” he said of the switch. “I still had Jai Hindley with me, so I could play it a bit.”

Behind the leading duo, the chase lacked cohesion and expectations fell on Evenepoel to respond. He managed the group, followed rather than forced, and waited for the final opportunity.

In the end, he sprinted to third behind Pogačar, who would later drop Seixas on Roche aux Faucons to take another victory in Liège.

“Third place is still nice for the team,” he said. “I have to be happy.”

“It’s a positive balance,” he added.