'It was a decision in the moment' - Evenepoel explains selfless ride for Lipowitz in Catalunya

Evenepoel’s move came some 27 kilometres from the finish, when he took control at the front of the favourites group and began to thin it out on the Collada de Sant Isidre. He continued to push hard on the descent, forcing splits and putting several riders under immediate pressure.

The effort set up a reduced group heading into the final climb, with Evenepoel still dictating the pace and Lipowitz sitting on his wheel. Only when Vingegaard accelerated did the Belgian, who crashed earlier his week, ease back and switch to his own rhythm.

“It was a decision in the moment,” Evenepoel explained to Het Laatste Nieuws. “The plan was actually to attack on the penultimate climb, but halfway up I felt I didn’t have super legs. I could ride hard, but I didn’t feel like I could go beyond my limit.”

His work, however, came at a cost. Lipowitz was unable to follow Vingegaard when the Dane attacked inside the final three kilometres, leaving the German to ride to the finish at his own pace.

“Remco did an amazing job for me. I’m sad that I couldn’t follow Jonas and I think Remco had the legs to win the stage, I feel sorry for that,” Lipowitz said.

The German highlighted the speed of the descent and the sustained effort from his teammate as key moments in the stage. “We went super fast on the downhill and Remco just kept pulling. He did an incredible job for me.”

Evenepoel’s ride did not go unnoticed by Vingegaard, who congratulated him at the finish in a brief moment that underlined the mutual respect between the two riders.

With the general classification now largely settled, Evenepoel is expected to shift his focus to stage success on the final day in Barcelona. “Tomorrow I still have a chance to go for the stage. The overall is decided now, so I have the freedom to go all in,” he said.