Contador warns of risks in Evenepoel’s approach: "Until the body says: BAM"

Koen Pelgrim, Evenepoel’s Dutch coach, noted ahead of the Dauphiné that his rider is leaner than he was around this time last year. Back then, Evenepoel was still recovering from his heavy crash in the Tour of the Basque Country and wasn’t at his best every day in the Dauphiné.

This year, Evenepoel has been able to prepare more deliberately for his summer goals following his spring season, allowing him to line up at the Dauphiné in sharper condition. The difference is said to be about one and a half to two kilograms. “Losing that much weight from one year to the next for the Tour... be careful, that can be dangerous,” said Contador.

“Unless he’s lost upper body muscle and that’s where the two kilos went, as I see it. In his lower body, it’s hard for him to lose that much weight,” the Spaniard continued. “Most of us have made that mistake at some point: trying to lose too much weight.”

“As you get older, you start thinking about it more,” says the Spaniard from experience. “It becomes harder to lose weight, your metabolism slows down. At some point, you're trying to slim down and you reach a weight you've never hit before, until your body just says: bam. Then it breaks.”

“On a physiological level, everything just falls apart. You’re very fit, but it just doesn’t work anymore,” Contador warns. “You push it too far, and it costs you your goals. I know other top riders it’s happened to, they dialed things in more than ever, only to wreck their whole season.”