Belgium slightly in panic over Evenepoel, Wiggins also comments: "I wouldn't be surprised if he calls it quits"

Saturday, 19 July 2025 at 11:38

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There is a slight panic in Belgium now that Remco Evenepoel has lost time in the first two days in the Pyrenees. The Belgian rider from Soudal-Quick Step fought his way back in stage 12, but was ‘very bad’ in the climbing time trial on day 13. He is still in third place, but if this trend continues, it seems only a matter of time before he drops further in the GC. Can he still turn it around?

“It's a fact that he's lost momentum,” said José De Cauwer on Sporza. “He had already lost momentum yesterday, but in hindsight, that was understandable. He said that if that had been his bad day, he had recovered well afterward. He lost a little time yesterday, but not as much as his closest rivals."

That wasn't necessarily the case in Friday's climbing time trial, but De Cauwer sees a downward spiral. "He's got a few fresh young guys behind him, even though he's still young and fresh himself. But a Lipowitz has an entirely different spirit. He's up there with Roglic, who will take advantage of the freedom he has. He's more than 7 minutes behind and can try something. Then it's up to the teams of Evenepoel, Vauquelin, or Vingegaard to go after him."

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Wiggins even fears Evenepoel will abandon the race

Even Lance Armstrong and sidekick Bradley Wiggins discussed Evenepoel at length in their podcast The Move. Armstrong spoke of a ‘demoralizing’ day, during which Jonas Vingegaard even overtook him. According to Wiggins, there is considerable pressure from Belgium. “The Tour is his main goal this year. And now, as the top time trialist, it's like he's been made a fool of. I wouldn't be surprised if Remco withdraws from the Tour. He looked so devastated after the finish.”

Wiggins is really curious to see how resilient Evenepoel is. “It's tough to be in the Tour when you have nothing left to fight for. Of course, he still has that podium place to fight for, but how much fighting spirit does he have left? If your legs don't work, they don't work.” Armstrong: “We're all fans of Remco. But there are just a few riders, really good riders, who simply can't win the Tour. There's something about this race, something specific. A kind of block."

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Dumoulin still has faith in Evenepoel

Was there no one left who still had a little faith in Evenepoel? Yes, definitely! Tom Dumoulin tried to cheer up the Belgians on Friday evening at Vive le Vélo. "Surprisingly, he lost so much ground in such a short effort; that's not like him. They won't let him ride because he's still third in the GC. So he has to be with the best riders. He'll try to consolidate his position. But he'll be better on Saturday than he was today."

Dumoulin wonders whether Evenepoel is struggling to maintain his weight. "It's been a very tough race so far. He's a rider who has to work hard to be at the right weight, especially on the climbs. I was like that too. Sometimes you miscalculate your food intake, and then you're just a little lacking for a few days. That builds up, and then you have bad days. The fact is that he's not at the same level as last year. I think that's a real shame."

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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief

Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.

Bram van der Ploeg | Lindkedin | Email

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