‘I gave everything’ - Remco Evenepoel opens up after his Tour de France abandon
After an injury blighted winter and less than ideal preparation, Remco Evenepoel started the Tour as one of the favourites, but was forced to abandon in the mountains of stage 14. He has now opened up about the issue and his feelings.
Remco Evenepoel has issued a statement rolling his abandon at the Tour de France last weekend. The Soudal-Quickstep rider had been flying high in the general classification, sitting in third place overall, but, as the race hit the Pyrenees he was clearly suffering more than expected.
After a torrid time in the heat of the first two Pyrenean stages, last Saturday’s 14th stage was enough. In the rain pouring on the lower slopes of the Col du Tourmalet, he slipped out of the peloton and climbed into the team car.
“That day became one of the rawest and most vulnerable moments of my career,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I broke and strangely enough, I’m proud of it. It takes strength to show that things don’t always go your way. That even when you want something deeply, sometimes your body has other plans."
Evenepoel’s status as a favourite for the podium in Paris came with caveats. Late last year he crashed after being ‘doored’ by a postal vehicle while out training, the injuries ruining his winter training and detailed preparation for the season.
“We thought the time off during rehab had given me enough rest,” he wrote. “But, in reality, my body never truly has a break, it was still working hard to heal from the trauma of the crash. Looking back, I wasn’t overtrained but I was definitely worn out.”
However, he retuned in the spring, stunning the cycling world by winning his first race back, Brabantse Pijl. It was soon clear, however, that he was not at his best, his spring classics results getting progressively worse. He won time trials at both the Tour of Romandie and Critérium du Dauphiné, but broke a rib in another crash at the Belgian road championship, just ahead of the Tour.
At the Tour he had shipped time to both Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) on some the early stages, but rode himself into the race, winning the stage five time trial. But when the Tour reached the high mountains he suffered. On stage 12 he was dropped on the opening major climb, the Col du Soulor, though he battled back on just in time for the Hautacam. He went backwards there too, but battled on to finish seventh.
Friday’s time trial was probably the greatest ignominy of his career, the World Time Trial Champion being passed by his two-minute-man, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) just before the finish line, eventually placing 12th. The next day he left the race.
“I gave everything,” he wrote. “I managed to win a stage wear the white jersey for several days and stand high in the GC. The first week went well, considering everything. But in the second week, the price of all those efforts started to show. I was holding on but I knew deep down I wasn’t at my best. until finally, my body said “enough."
“Twelve days in, I cracked. Everything I had been carrying finally caught up with me. but still, I didn’t want to give up. I fought as hard as I possibly could.” Evenepoel also revealed that he has since suffered with sinusitis.
His statement also reveals a young man maturing through adversity and he added a further message for others struggling. “Leaving the Tour was the hardest decision I’ve made in a long time. But it was the right one. For once, I truly listened to my body. and I hope that moment sends a message, especially to other your riders watching: it’s okay to stop. It’s okay to feel tired. It’s okay to be human.
Evenepoel’s statement gives no clue as to when he will return to competition or whether he has resumed training.
