Remco Evenepoel meant to check himself within the finale of stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, and he duly readied himself on the wheel of Primož Roglič on the shallow rise in the direction of the end at Les Estables.
A sluggish puncture, nevertheless, meant that the duel by no means materialised. Rather than contest stage victory, Evenepoel was content material to handle the scenario and roll dwelling in the principle peloton, three seconds down on the day’s winner Derek Gee.
“In the top I had a small flat tyre – not a whole flat however a sluggish puncture,” Evenepoel defined afterwards. “It was fairly powerful to maintain going with that within the final 3k, however in any other case I might have misplaced a lot of time, so it was powerful. I needed to work arduous, however I managed to stick with the group.”
The Critérium du Dauphiné marks Evenepoel’s return to competitors after fracturing his collarbone within the mass crash at Itzulia Basque Country, and he downplayed expectations earlier than the race started, insisting that he had few ambitions past enhancing his situation forward of his Tour de France debut.
On the Col de la Loge on Monday, Evenepoel had most well-liked to not attempt to chase stage victory, however he approached the finale of stage 3 with a unique strategy, no less than till he felt his tyre begin to deflate.
“I actually needed to go for it at this time however as soon as I felt I had the sluggish puncture, it was recreation over,” Evenepoel stated. “I felt good, and I needed to go for it. We stated within the race we had been going to attempt as a result of the final okay was actually not simple in any respect. It was a end that ought to have suited me, however the tyre determined in another way. Now it’s time to deal with tomorrow.”
Evenepoel faces the primary actual examination of his type within the demanding 34.4km time trial from Saint-Germain-Laval to Neulise on Wednesday. As the world champion within the self-discipline, Evenepoel is the logical favorite for stage victory, whereas the course provides a really helpful check forward of the 2 time trials on the Tour.
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“I feel it’s a really powerful time trial,” stated Evenepoel, who has been warming down on his time trial bike all week. “It’s virtually pan flat to start with after which about 15km into the TT, it begins to roll up, a bit like at this time really.
“It’s a TT that’s fairly lengthy, so it’s a must to tempo it effectively and ensure you have one thing for the ultimate half. It’s one I like. I used to be wanting ahead to this one already in the course of the altitude camp.”
Evenepoel received his first time trial of the 12 months on the Volta ao Algarve, however a crash denied him on the opening day of Itzulia Basque Country, the place he positioned fourth in a brief check received by Roglič.
Their duel on Wednesday is prone to be the story of the day, not least as a result of each males will view the Tour de France time trials as pivotal to their hopes of beating Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.
This 12 months’s Tour de France encompasses a 25km particular person time trial to Gevrey-Chambertin within the opening week, whereas the race concludes with a tricky, 34km check from Monaco to Nice that takes within the climb of La Turbie and the Col d’Èze.
“If there’s one stage I’m on this week, it is Wednesday, simply to see how my shoulder comes by it,” Evenepoel informed RTBF. “After that, we’ll see how my legs carry out. If I get a very good end result, I’ll be capable of depart this Dauphiné feeling good. It shall be an essential day. I’ll be aiming for the rostrum, and we’ll see what our rivals do. If it ends with a win, a lot the higher.”
In the general standings, Evenepoel lies thirty third general, 13 seconds behind the yellow jersey Gee and 6 seconds down on Roglič.
Soudal-QuickStep directeur sportif Tom Steels echoed Evenepoel’s ideas, insisting that the Dauphiné was a method to an finish fairly than a aim in itself.
“The most essential factor is that he feels higher day after day and that he has good sensations on the finish of the Dauphiné,” Steels informed RTBF.
“We’ll see the place we’re after the time trial. A time trial of that distance is all the time a very good check. He shall be very motivated for that, particularly with the rainbow jersey on his again. He’s going to do all the pieces to be one of the best.”