Lefevere on Evenepoel at the Dauphiné: "Just like last year: everyone was disappointed, but I was satisfied"

“I’m also watching the Critérium du Dauphiné with more than usual interest, because in the past it has rarely happened that the three top Tour favorites all start this race,” Lefevere begins. “And the question that immediately comes up: how should Remco Evenepoel approach this? My answer is simple: the same way as last year.”

“He won the individual time trial, took the leader’s jersey, but then cracked in the high mountains. Everyone was disappointed and wondered if it would still turn out okay, Remco included, because he’s a winner. And I was satisfied. For the simple reason that there are six weeks between the end of the Dauphiné and the end of the Tour. So anyone peaking next week still has to keep that form going for six more weeks. Last year, Remco proved he knows what he needs to do to be ready for the Tour.”

“You can assume that Vingegaard and Pogacar also know they shouldn’t be at their peak just yet,” Lefevere continues. “But I still see some differences. Vingegaard hasn’t raced much, it’s been since Paris-Nice for him. He’ll want to test himself heading into the Tour. Sure, Remco can test himself too, but I wouldn’t mind if he cracks. They always say you need to hit rock bottom before you can reach top form.”

“And Pogacar?” he wonders aloud. “Well, he always races to win, but compared to the others, he’s raced more, and for a longer period. You’d think at some point he’ll have to start conserving energy. Unless, of course, he has an unlimited energy supply, which sometimes it really seems like. The only slip-up he’s had this season was at the Amstel Gold Race, where he raced too aggressively and ended up being reeled back in by Remco. And then a third dog, Skjelmose, ran off with the win.”

“Whatever the final result is in this Dauphiné, it should always be taken in perspective, unless you get dropped like a little kid, then you’ve got a problem you won’t be able to fix,” Lefevere concludes. “For the mental side, it might even be better if, by the end of the Dauphiné, you realize there’s still work to be done.”

“Because after next week, they’ll all head back to altitude training anyway. With all the data they track these days, they know exactly what still needs to be adjusted. His weight? I hear Remco weighs about 1.5 kilograms less than he did at this time last year. That was already a point of debate back then. Remco felt he still had too many kilos; the team dietitian disagreed. In the end, Remco took matters into his own hands,” the former Soudal Quick-Step team boss recalled.