Lefevere points to Evenepoel's weight as explanation for Liège: 'Maybe a bigger impact on Remco than on Pogačar'

Whether Remco Evenepoel can be satisfied with third place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège is a question for him alone. The Belgian faced a wave of criticism after his favourite Classic, with the much-anticipated battle against Tadej Pogačar and Paul Seixas failing to materialise. Patrick Lefevere, his former team manager, is coming to Evenepoel's defence.

"Remco Evenepoel has added another record to his collection: most criticism ever received after a third place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège," Lefevere begins his argument in Het Nieuwsblad. "The things you read. I am the first to be demanding, but a podium at a Monument — behind heavyweights like Pogačar and Seixas — is still a pass mark in my book."

The former Soudal Quick-Step boss also saw that Evenepoel was not at his best in Liège. "His climb on La Redoute was not good — but that's just a snapshot. In ten years, only that number three will remain. It's an argument that critics so often use to shut down a discussion: 'in the end, only the result counts.' Remco posts a result and even that isn't good enough."

So how could it be that the Belgian couldn't follow the best when the road went uphill? Lefevere turns to his weight. "I'd like to know where things stand with Evenepoel's weight. Either way, it's higher now than it will be at the Tour. Just as Pogačar also seems to be carrying a few extra kilos in his white jersey this spring. But perhaps weight has a greater impact on Remco than on Pogačar."

Pogačar won Liège-Bastogne-Liège for the fourth time, and Lefevere notes that he had very few kilometres in his legs — especially compared to Evenepoel. "Pogačar had four race days in his legs before Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Remco had twenty-four. I'm not making that observation to question his season build-up, but freshness is not a minor detail in racing. Let's above all be grateful for a rider who still wants to race this much."

"I do sometimes find it striking," he continues. "It's May and Pogačar has nine race days. Mathieu van der Poel has thirteen, Jonas Vingegaard fifteen. Riders of that calibre can of course afford that. Pogačar wins six of the nine races he starts. Van der Poel has four from thirteen. Vingegaard's tally is already six too. A sponsor is obviously happy with that."

Lefevere hopes the top riders are not setting a bad example for "the lesser gods". "It's a point I often hear José De Cauwer make: 'which riders still actually enjoy racing?' I know altitude camps work, but sometimes races now seem like intermissions between two such camps. I ask myself: does a sprinter really need to go to altitude? Certainly not twice a season."

The former team manager is not exactly happy about seeing the big names feature less and less on start lists. "In my day, riders were not allowed more than eighty-five race days. Perhaps it's not a bad idea to introduce a minimum as well. That Pogačar and Van der Poel limit themselves to the big occasions — fine. But with many other riders I think: couldn't it perhaps be a little more?"