Evenepoel hits back at critics, but disagrees with Pogačar over Vingegaard

Remco Evenepoel surprised friends and foes alike with his climbing performance during the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France. The Belgian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe beat Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro at the top of the Plateau de Solaison. He silenced his critics, after it had been widely suggested that Evenepoel would not be able to handle a longer climb.

Evenepoel claimed the victory by beating Pogacar and Del Toro in the sprint. It was his first road stage win in the Tour, having already won two time trials. “It’s amazing. I’m shaking with emotion,” he said in the flash interview. “It’s been a crazy day. It was a tough start—I actually felt pretty bad at the beginning—but I got better and better as the day went on.”

On the final climb, the incredibly steep Plateau de Solaison, Evenepoel was able to capitalise on a move by the UAE team. General classification leader Tadej Pogacar decided to set the pace for Del Toro, who could potentially go for the stage win and, above all, climb to third place in the general classification. However, the Mexican was at his limit, partly because he had been involved in Jonas Vingegaard’s crash heading into the finale.

Evenepoel managed to fend off two attacks from Del Toro and launched his own sprint in the final kilometre. Pogacar followed him but decided not to go any further. ‘I wasn’t expecting any breakaways from Isaac, but he went on the final steep section. He went really hard, and attacked again with 400 metres to go. That was perfect for me heading into the sprint,’ said Evenepoel.

For a long time, it seemed Evenepoel should mainly be happy that he could follow Pogacar and Del Toro and thereby make progress in the general classification. Beating two riders from UAE—surely that seemed like asking too much? Apparently not. "I tried to maintain my momentum and ride as hard as possible to the finish. To win this beautiful stage is amazing. I have already ridden here twenty times during the training camp."

Due to Vingegaard's withdrawal, Evenepoel climbed to second place in the general classification and heads into the second rest day with a stage victory. "A great feeling," he emphasized. Especially since the Belgian seemed to struggle a bit on earlier longer climbs. Many people therefore wrote him off in advance for the finish of stage 15, much to Evenepoel's own frustration.

That was emotional. "You have to understand that I am racing here with the best rider of all time. Pogacar rode an amazing climb to win the stage with Isaac. For me, it is a big step forward that I can follow that pace, because it was very high. You also have to understand that I get a lot of criticism, that I can't survive long, steep climbs. This feels amazing."

After a daring transfer from Soudal Quick-Step to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, the pressure is fully on Evenepoel for this Tour, especially after he hadn't raced for the 2.5 months leading up to the race. Now he has proven them wrong. "It is very difficult to win a race, and I am lucky that I have been able to win quite a few races. But in the Tour, on mountains like this, it is very difficult to beat men like Tadej and Jonas. You have to seize that opportunity with both hands."

Evenepoel hopes to maintain his current form, especially now that Vingegaard dropped out in stage 15. The Belgian is therefore in second place, but was naturally not happy with Vingegaard's withdrawal. "It is really bad news, first for himself and his team, but also for the race. It is something you wouldn't wish on anyone."

"I had to regain my focus, and then give everything for the stage win,' said Evenepoel, who, however, did not want to go along with Pogacar's theory to NOS that a nighttime doping test for Vingegaard might have caused a loss of focus and concentration. 'I think Visma | Lease a Bike just rode very fast into that village and didn't know exactly where the islands were. It was a misjudgment and that is very human. It can happen, but unfortunately to one of the favorites."

So, a bad rest day for Visma | Lease a Bike and Vingegaard, but not for Evenepoel on Monday. Because on Tuesday, he can still consolidate his second place in the general classification in an individual time trial. "That is the goal, but first I am going to enjoy this one and take a good rest day. From Tuesday morning, the focus will be fully on the time trial."