"Don't panic" and "there's still time" for Soudal Quick-Step and Evenepoel: "Within three or four weeks, we'll be right up there with the other two."

Evenepoel told the Belgian media, who reported to the team bus. "It was pretty much the same story as yesterday," said Evenepoel. "It was super tough. The start was uphill, the middle was uphill, and the end was uphill too. So it was a tough ride. In the end, I was well positioned at the front, but towards the finish, my legs were getting tired as we got closer to the finish line."

After two tough days in the Alps, Evenepoel drew some conclusions, which still make him feel positive. "Last year, I was ninth here, and some lesser-known names were competing," continued the double Olympic champion. "The gap was bigger then, too. Compared to last year, I am further ahead. At the moment, I am focusing on myself and taking it day by day."

With just one more day to go in the French stage race, Evenepoel faces a time gap of more than four minutes in the GC behind yellow jersey wearer Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG). Evenpoel is fourth, with Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Florian Lipowitz (RedBull-BORA-hansgrohe) ahead of him. "It's one of the most important stage races. I will take a good shower now and hope to recover a little. Is Lipowitz impressive? It's great what he's doing, but last year, some guys performed well here and finished behind me in the Tour," Evenepoel said, remaining optimistic.

Of course, everyone is focused on the Tour. Even Evenepoel wants to show his best form in the upcoming Tour de France. "You often have guys who are a little better here than in the Tour or maintain the same level while the rest get even better. It's great what he's doing, but hopefully, he's already at the top of his game," Evenepoel concluded with a wink.

Like Evenepoel himself, the Belgian team's management is also optimistic about Evenepoel. "Pogacar is superior. What he is doing is spectacular, but Remco is not bad. He's still fourth. That's not dramatic, we shouldn't panic," sports director Tom Steel told HLN. “I make it a rule not to talk about numbers and wattages. Those are private. All I can say is that Remco is riding well. His condition is certainly not bad, but he's not at his best yet. That's probably true, but we still have some time."

The Tour de France starts in three weeks. According to Steels, "there's still time," but the competition seems to be a step ahead in the Dauphiné. "We're going to take another big step forward, that's for sure. Remco is still capable of doing that. I think it will be between those three again in the Tour. We'll be right up there with the other two within three or four weeks."