Evenepoel limits losses despite late hold up by Tour organisation car

Evenepoel was unable to follow when the pace increased on the steepest part of the final climb. He crossed the summit around 30 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard, but reduced that gap to just four seconds by the finish. He also ended the stage only ten seconds behind Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas.

The Belgian said the cold and rain had taken their toll before the decisive part of the stage.

“I have to be honest, I suffered in the rain today,” Evenepoel told Sporza. “I was quite cold, but in the end I did my own thing on the final climb. It was just a little too fast for me.”

Rather than trying to respond to every acceleration, Evenepoel settled into his own rhythm. His strongest work came after the summit, where he used the rolling approach to Le Markstein to regain much of the time he had lost.

“I think I still managed it quite well because I didn’t lose much time,” he said. “I felt I rode a strong final kilometre, or final kilometre and a half.”

That chase was briefly interrupted when Evenepoel found himself caught between a Shimano neutral service car and an organisation vehicle.

“I was a little blocked between the Shimano car and the organisation car,” he said. “I think they slowed me down a bit, but in the end I didn’t lose much time to the riders I’m fighting for the podium with.”

Evenepoel’s recovery gathered pace when he reached Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe teammate Florian Lipowitz. He immediately called on the German to work with him to the finish.

“When I got to Lipo, I shouted straight away that we had to work together as hard as possible towards the line,” Evenepoel said. “I think that worked well. We managed to limit the damage.”

The cooperation suggested the pair were more closely aligned than after the Tourmalet stage, when Evenepoel was frustrated that Lipowitz had declined to provide a lead out in the sprint. At Le Markstein, there was no hesitation once the two riders came together.

“Considering the unusual weather conditions, I think we held up well,” Evenepoel concluded. “Tomorrow is another day.”

Sunday’s stage will offer no descent or flat run after the final climb, removing the kind of terrain that allowed Evenepoel to regain time on Saturday. He is not overly concerned, however, and believes the longer, steadier ascent could suit him.

“It is a very different kind of stage,” he said. “There are some shorter climbs, a lot of up and down, then two serious climbs and the final ascent.”

“The last climb is around 40 minutes, or a little less, at a fairly constant eight or nine per cent. That should suit me. I also rode it a few times during a training camp, so I know what to expect.”

Evenepoel also rejected the suggestion that he was simply trying to defend his position until Tuesday’s time trial.

“I try to finish as quickly as possible every day,” he said. “It wasn’t as though I was calculating on the final climb how much time I was prepared to lose. I was simply riding as hard as I could.”

The time trial nevertheless remains a major opportunity. Evenepoel plans to empty himself once more in Sunday’s mountain stage before turning his attention to Tuesday.

“Tomorrow is one more day to give everything and try not to lose time where possible,” he said. “Then on Tuesday I’ll try to make up or gain as much time as possible and try to win the stage.”

After that, the Tour heads into the Alps, where Evenepoel expects a different kind of climbing challenge.

“They are long climbs and a little less explosive than what we have had here,” he said. “We will take it day by day. I am still third overall, if I’m not mistaken, so I have to be satisfied.”