the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick Step)world time trial champion and fourth overall in Lap as the ‘leader’ of the favourites, he waited with great motivation for the time trial this Tuesday in Valladolid, where, he said, “it’s good to take half a minute” from his direct rivals.
“My initial goal in the Vuelta is to win a stage, and if I can get half a minute off time in the time trial, that’s fine. It’s a bit like last year. The first 5 kilometers are technical with a climb, then a descent and the rest straight to the finish line. It will be fast, suitable for a specialist”, commented the Belgian champion on the rest day in Valladolid.
Evenepoel, who will wear the world champion’s rainbow jersey, hopes to have “extra motivation, drive and a few more watts” in that outfit. The time trial in Valladolid will not be decisive, according to Evenepoel, but he is making his calculations more favorable.
“I have to take advantage of the opportunity as much as possible, but I don’t think the time trial will be as crucial as last year. Half a minute will be good, but the other rivals are in good shape,” specified he. . Thinking about his direct rivals, Evenepoel believes that the current leader, the American Sepp Kuss, can be a dangerous enemy if he makes a good time.
“He’s one of the best climbers in the world. If he does a good time trial, he’ll be an important rival, even though in recent days he’s had some problems going up. At the moment, I consider him more Jumbo-Visma. domestic”, said.
The complication with Roglic and Vingegaard’s Jumbo Visma is in the mountains, something Evenepole is clear about. “It’s not easy to compete with three climbers of that level. It’s not easy to think of a plan to beat them, especially when they work together like they’re doing now. Although we knew that before this Tour,” he highlighted.
Given the competition with the men from Jumbo Visma, Evenepoel considered that “it could be interesting to work and ask for help from other candidates like Mas, Ayuso and Almeida.” “They can be important to me. Sometimes we have to try to work together,” he added.
Mikel Landa, future teammate, will start the time trial before Evenepoel, which could help the Belgian. “I told him: ‘You have to wait or you won’t be able to come to our team.’ No, that’s not true. We are professional enough to separate the present and the future,” he joked.
Ahead of the Pyrenean stages on Friday and Saturday with climbs in Tourmalet and Belagua, Evenepoel expects differences, but first the challenge is in La Laguna Negra. “There the differences are more than 10 seconds, for sure,” he concluded.
Source: La Verdad
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