Evenepoel credits dominant time trial victory to obsessive preparation: "I knew every turn and it was necessary"
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Follow us on GoogleRemco Evenepoel was in a class of his own in the individual time trial at the Tour of the Algarve on Saturday. The Belgian world champion finished seventeen seconds ahead of second-place Magnus Sheffield and, for instance, beat Wout van Aert by a minute over 22 kilometers. The outcome was the result of good legs, but above all, good preparation.
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"A perfect time trial, probably. When you win, a time trial is always perfect," Evenepoel smiles from the rollers in the flash interview. "From the start, I had a pretty good feeling, and I knew the course well. After the Figueira Champions Classic on Monday, we scouted the course well with three laps, and this morning I did another two."
Crucial for the victory, Evenepoel asserts. "I knew all the turns by heart, and that was necessary because it was a technical time trial, with bumps and holes in the road. Tight turns too, so you had to know where you could take risks, and where not. Maybe it was a bit too technical in some places, but it was a beautiful time trial in this setting. I enjoyed every meter of it, and closing it off with a victory is even better."
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Evenepoel eyes another stage win in the Algarve
"I had perfect coaching from the car, and we prepared perfectly," concludes Evenepoel, who, representing Soudal-Quick Step, now heads into the final mountain stage on Sunday with a 47-second lead over Daniel Felipe Martínez (BORA-hansgrohe). "It will all be about defending and being smart. The yellow jersey is the most important, but maybe we can go for another stage win."
In a conversation with VTM, the young all-rounder also looks ahead to what's coming on the final day. "It's not secured yet, but the lead is not bad. It's a very good sign that I could perform like this today. I just went full throttle from start to finish. We've adjusted the position a bit this winter, and the mechanics and performance team have looked at my gearing. It went very well. I can only be satisfied with the work of the entire team."
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'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026
