Remco Evenepoel has revealed he will not be ‘one hundred pc’ for Saturday’s Olympic Games time trial after his gruelling battle for a spot on the rostrum on the Tour de France left him fatigued and pessimistic.
The 24-year-old Belgian stayed within the South of France after Sunday’s ultimate time trial stage and the night podium ceremony alongside Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. However, he struggled to coach earlier than travelling to Paris on Wednesday to do important reconnaissance of the 32.4km course.
He described the town centre a part of the course as “shit roads,” and conceded he won’t get better from his large effort on the Tour de France to tackle different medal contenders corresponding to Italy’s Filippo Ganna and Great Britain’s Josh Tarling who’ve skilled particularly for the time trial as Evenepoel raced the Tour de France.
“I at all times goal excessive however I do know that I will not be one hundred pc. If I’m overwhelmed purely on efficiency, then I gained’t complain,” Evenepoel instructed Sporza and different Belgian media on Thursday within the countdown to Saturday’s time trial.
“I spent most of Monday in mattress, I rode a bit on Tuesday however I did not really feel nice, the identical on Wednesday and Thursday. I’ve to attend and see the way it goes on Saturday. It has been a demanding ultimate week within the Tour. Recovering isn’t simple, however I nonetheless have two days.
“We’ll see if it is sufficient. I got here out of the Tour filled with confidence and that already provides me a psychological benefit.”
Evenepoel and Wout Van Aert will trip Saturday’s time trial for Belgium, with Lotte Kopecky a favorite for the ladies’s time trial. She revealed she was hit by COVID-19 after using the Giro d’Italia Women stage race, the place she completed second general on July 14.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Belgian nationwide coach Sven Vanthourenhout named Tarling and Ganna because the favourites for Olympic gold within the time trial however that appeared to irk Evenepoel, who’s the present world time trial champion after beating Ganna and Tarling in Glasgow final 12 months.
“I’ve already confirmed sufficient that I can beat anybody, so why not on Saturday?” he retorted.
“If my legs have recovered properly, loads is feasible. I simply must see how the day goes. If I actually get overwhelmed on my numbers, on the values, then it will likely be like that.
“Maybe we will use the ‘larger engine’ that you’ve after a Grand Tour. The course isn’t too technical and that performs into our arms. Then you should use your endurance extra.” I got here out of the Tour with a superb feeling.”
Van Aert goals excessive however seems to the street race
Van Aert used the Tour de France to rebuild his kind after his horrible crash within the spring. He gained the time trial stage on the 2022 Tour de France and was a detailed second to Ganna within the 2022 world time trial championships however has misplaced floor in recent times. He was fifth within the 2023 world championships, 1:37 down on Evenepoel.
He fractured a number of ribs, his collarbone and sternum in a high-speed crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen on the finish of March and is extra targeted on the street race on August 3.
“I really feel good in the intervening time. The Tour is in my legs, however I’m assured that I shall be good on Saturday. I positively wanted the Tour to take a step ahead,” Van Aert mentioned.
“I used to be in a position to trip the final days of the Tour another way than standard. I had little to realize and my thoughts was already in Paris.
“My expertise has taught me that it’s higher if you happen to can put together your self one hundred pc. In that respect, the Tour is a drawback. But for the street race I wanted this Tour.
“It could sound unambitious, however the aim is to trip a time trial that I may be pleased and pleased with. I hope to complete as shut as attainable to the medals. Who is aware of, I’d end behind the three favourites and nonetheless be happy.”
Evenepoel and Van Aert accomplished their ultimate reconnaissance of the Paris time trial course on Wednesday afternoon. The 32.4 km course begins on the L’esplanade des Invalides after which heads east to Place de la Bastille and to the Bois de Vincennes park for a loop earlier than returning to the end close to the Eiffel Tower.
Evenepoel didn’t like the town centre streets after his recon trip.
“The first and the final 5 kilometres are fairly shit roads,” he mentioned. “Then it’s straight and quick. Quite some lovely sightseeing as properly. But the street floor is fairly dangerous at first and ultimately. So that is likely to be an issue you probably have black spots in entrance of your eyes within the final kilometres. It’s not so good, however OK.
“On paper it seems tremendous flat, nevertheless it’s consistently a false flat, it’ll harm. It’ll be about cadence, massive gear and holding my place, that is going to be essential for me.”
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the 2024 Olympic Games – together with breaking information and evaluation reported by our journalists on the bottom from each occasion throughout street, mountain bike, monitor and BMX racing because it occurs and extra. Find out extra.