'I am not going to take crazy risks' - Evenepoel reacts to illness problems inside Pogacar’s support squad

Remco Evenepoel believes UAE’s growing list of problems could transform the final mountain stages of the Tour de France, although the Belgian has made it clear that he will not gamble away second place in the general classification.

Evenepoel was able to conserve valuable energy during Thursday’s 18th stage, as the leading contenders chose not to attack one another during the first part of the Tour’s decisive Alpine trilogy.

The relatively controlled day came at an important moment. Two demanding stages around Alpe d’Huez remain, but race leader Tadej Pogačar will enter them with a significantly weakened team.

Brandon McNulty abandoned the race, while Adam Yates and Tim Wellens have been affected by illness. Florian Vermeersch is also dealing with an injury.

“That is not an ideal situation when you are about to start the next few days,” Evenepoel told Sporza. “But illness can happen. It has happened to me as well. When it does, you just have to deal with it.”

UAE’s difficulties may provide an opportunity for Pogačar’s rivals, particularly if the Slovenian is left isolated earlier than expected. Evenepoel, however, is not planning to launch a reckless offensive simply because the yellow jersey’s support has been reduced.

“We still have to look at that,” he said when asked whether he would attempt to exploit UAE’s weakness. “I am not going to take crazy risks and put my second place in danger.”

Instead, Evenepoel expects Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to become one of the main aggressors. The French team has an opportunity to challenge Isaac del Toro’s third place and could use the weakened UAE squad to test whether the Mexican has also been affected by illness.

“I think a team like Decathlon will now pull out all the stops to attack Del Toro’s third place,” Evenepoel said. “They may try to find out whether he is suffering from illness as well.”

The reduced strength around Pogačar could also make the battle for the breakaway more intense. UAE may be less capable or less willing to control the race, creating space for attacks from teams targeting a stage victory.

“There will probably be an even bigger fight to get into the breakaway,” Evenepoel added. “There will be less control in the peloton and that will make it a different race.”

Evenepoel’s own condition appears encouraging before the final mountain tests.

His teammate Maxim Van Gils revealed that the Belgian was so comfortable on Thursday’s final climb that he asked for the pace to be increased, despite Van Gils already believing he was riding hard.

“When I was riding at the front on the final climb, I heard Remco in my earpiece saying that it could go a little faster,” Van Gils told Sporza.

“I thought I was already riding very quickly. I jokingly told him to leave me alone.”

Van Gils said Evenepoel had appeared relaxed throughout the stage, with the teammates even finding time to talk about the weather and their surroundings.

“Remco was very relaxed on the road,” Van Gils said. “The atmosphere in the team is excellent. Remco is feeling good, just like everyone else in the team, and I think that shows.”